Cantecroy Castle

Cantecroy Castle, locally known as Kasteel Cantecroy, lies in the town of Mortsel, in the province of Antwerp in the Flemish region in Belgium.

Cantecroy Castle was first mentioned in 1289 when its steward was a member of the Volcaert family. Later that century, the castle was acquired by Willem III van Berthout, who built a keep between 1296 and 1308. His descendants, known as the Van Berchem and Van Ranst families, owned it until the mid-16th century. During their ownership, they transformed the castle into a strong fortress because of its strategic location near the roads from Antwerp to Lier and Mechelen. It served as an outlying defense against enemies advancing toward Antwerp.

In 1550, the castle was purchased by the Perrenot de Granvelle family, who were influential statesmen and clergymen. Cardinal Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle turned Cantecroy into an elegant country retreat, hosting important guests such as the Counts of Egmont and Horne, William of Orange, and the Grand Duke of Alva. Nevertheless, it managed to repel an attack by insurgents during the Great Iconoclasm of 1566. In response, the castle was reinforced again in 1570 with a new stone and earthen wall, equipped with terraces for artillery.

In 1616, Jan Baptist Maes bought Cantecroy Castle. However, he was heavily in debt to the city of Antwerp. The city council then dismantled nearly the entire castle by tearing down the keep, walls, and other defenses. The materials recovered from the destruction were used to restore other buildings in the city.

Over the following centuries, several other owners of the fragmented castle came and went, but Cantecroy lost its significance.

In 1860, when Fort 4 was built nearby, the castle lost most of its lands and seemed destined to disappear. The remnants of the original castle include the moat, the gatehouse—which had been converted into a mansion—a chapel, and a farm. Albert Einstein, fleeing Nazi antisemitism, stayed at the castle while waiting for an American visa.

After World War II, most of what can be seen today—such as the keep and the main building—was reconstructed, partially using building materials recovered from buildings in the center of Antwerp that had been destroyed by German V-bombs during the war.

Today, Cantecroy Castle has been converted into luxury service apartments for seniors, and it also features a fine Italian restaurant. While its interior cannot be visited and most of it is a 20th-century structure, it remains a pleasant site to visit, especially in combination with Fort 4.

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