Male Castle

Male Castle, locally known as Kasteel van Male, lies in the village with the same name, in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish region in Belgium.

The first castle at this site was probably built in the 9th century. It consisted of a moated, wooden tower that served as a refuge against Vikings.

A stone castle was constructed here in the 12th century by Philip I, Count of Flanders. According to legend, the castle was consecrated in 1166 by Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. It mainly served as a court for the Counts of Flanders.

During the French occupation, Male Castle was garrisoned by French soldiers who were driven out by the army of the city of Bruges in 1302. In 1382, the castle was captured and subsequently destroyed by the townspeople of Ghent.

The castle was rebuilt, only to be sieged and plundered again by Ghent's townspeople in 1453. Once more, it was restored but burned to the ground in 1472. The castle was rebuilt, and the keep, the oldest part of the castle, now used as a gate tower, dates back to that period. In 1490, the castle was looted and damaged again, this time by troops of the Count of Nassau.

During the Spanish occupation, the castle was purchased by a Spanish knight, Juan Lopez Gallo, in 1558. From then until the 20th century, the castle was largely forgotten and changed hands among several noble families.

During both World Wars, Male Castle was occupied by German soldiers. When they left, the castle was in ruins.

Its last noble owner, Baron Gillès de Pélichy, transferred the castle to the nuns of the St. Trudo convent in Bruges in 1953. The nuns moved in the following year. A thorough restoration was completed in 1972. After being bought by a Belgian businessman in 2011, the nuns left the castle in 2013. Since then, his daughter has been living in the buildings on the castle grounds, with plans to convert the castle into a luxury suite hotel.

Currently, Male Castle cannot be visited. It is a rather austere-looking castle, although I would be curious to see what remains of its historical interior.

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