Ordingen Castle

Ordingen Castle, locally known as Kasteel van Ordingen, lies in the village of the same name, in the Limburg province in the Flemish region in Belgium.

The first Ordingen Castle was mentioned in 1040. In 1467 this castle was destroyed during the Battle of Brustem. The castle was rebuilt by the Van Horion family. During the 16th century this rebuilt castle was transformed into a Renaissance style castle by Willem III van Horion.

In 1611 the castle was sold to the Grand Commandery of Alden Biesen of the Teutonic Order. They rebuilt the castle into a Commandery in 1633.

During the French Revolution Ordingen Castle was confiscated and sold as 'biens nationaux' to a Pierre de Libotton. In the beginning of the 19th he sold it to Charles Lambert Balthazar de Pitteurs Higaerts, a sugar merchant. His son Léon, mayor of Ordingen, had the castle rebuilt in Flemish Renaissance Revival style.

In 1940 the castle was partially destroyed during a German airstrike. Later in the war it was occupied by German soldiers who damaged the remaining interior. After WW II the castle dilapidated. In the 1960's the grounds surrounding the castle were parceled out and the moats were filled in.

In 1997 it was bought by a Richard Sleurs. He started a thorough rebuilding campaign and gave the castle its present appearance.

At present Ordingen Castle is used as a venue for events and is planned to house a hotel and restaurant. A nice castle but a bit sterile for my personal taste.

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