Bossenstein Castle

Bossenstein Castle lies north of the village of Broechem, in the province of Antwerp in the Flemish region in Belgium.

The oldest part of the present Bossenstein Castle, the square keep, was probably built before the 14th century by a Joannes van Busco or Van den Bossche.

Not long after, it came into the possession of the Van Berchem family, who are believed to have made significant changes to the castle. They sold it in 1544 to Guilelmus van der Rijt, a member of the city council of nearby Antwerp. The sale deed described the castle as an impressive estate with many outbuildings; however, none of these survive today.

In 1655, it was sold again, this time to Willem van Halmale, who transformed the castle into a beautiful residence while still maintaining its fortifications.

Throughout the 18th century, the castle changed hands several times among noble families. Between 1798 and 1843, it was used by religious institutions. In 1906, restoration work helped prevent its slow decline.

Today, Bossenstein Castle is surrounded by the grounds of an 18-hole golf and polo club. Access to the terrain is likely restricted, but there is a public path over the golf course that passes the castle. As far as I know, the castle itself cannot be visited. It remains a lovely castle in a pleasant setting.

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