Horst Castle

Horst Castle, locally known as Kasteel van Horst, lies near the village of Sint-Pieters-Rode, in the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish region in Belgium.

The exact date when the first castle at this site was built is unknown. Although there was a 'castellum Rode' in this area in the 11th century, the name Horst was first mentioned in 1263. At that time, Jan van Thunen settled here and took the name Jan van Horst.

Horst Castle was built on a strategic location in the Winge valley and served as one of the defenses protecting the nearby city of Leuven, which was the largest and most important city in the Duchy of Brabant during the 14th century. In 1369, the castle was purchased by Amelric Boote, who rebuilt it. Only the keep, part of the curtain wall, and a section of the gate remain from his fortress.

During 1488/89, the castle was burned down by the people of Leuven in their war against Maximilian of Austria. Around 1490, Lodewijk Pynnock rebuilt it to its current appearance. However, before he could finish the construction, he had to sell it in 1500 due to financial difficulties.

The new owner was Iwein van Kortenbach. This shifted the castle's influence from Leuven to Mechelen. In 1521, the castle was sold again to the Van Buysleyden family. However, this family also faced financial troubles and had to sell the castle in the 17th century. It was then sold to Olivier van Schoonhoven, who completed the castle’s rebuilding.

In 1630, Maria-Anna van den Tympel inherited the castle. She was responsible for the stucco ceilings in the three halls and was the last owner to reside in the castle.

Over the following centuries, ownership changed several times through inheritance. The new owners showed little interest as the castle fell out of fashion, and it was mainly maintained by caretakers.

Until a few years ago, Horst Castle could be visited, though its interiors were empty. The castle has been closed for several years for restoration and will likely remain so for some time before reopening.

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