Top 8 Castles around Wervik

In the 17th century, there was no park in Heule. There were meadows here. Later, in 1722, a farm was built here. A little later, the then mayor of Lagae built a castle. The garden as we know it today was created around 1900 by a Parisian landscape architect. The garden has been open to the public since 1965. Source: kortrijk.be

Zonnebeke, a charming municipality in West Flanders, is a place where history and nature come together. Known for its role in the First World War, it is home to impressive memorial sites such as Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest British military cemetery in the world. In addition to its historical significance, Zonnebeke offers beautiful landscapes and recreational routes, ideal for a trip through the rolling Flemish countryside. The Zonnebeke Castle Estate is an absolute must, where you can not only enjoy the green surroundings, but also take a culinary break at Koklikoo, a charming place for lunch, coffee and sweet temptations.

The Polderhoek is currently a forgotten piece of land near the A19 motorway, next to the Witches Monument. It is almost unthinkable, but during the war there was a beautiful park in the Polderhoek valley. The southern Polderhoek Castle stood in the middle of the park. The Polderhoek Castle, popularly known as the “Flower Castle”, was one of the most beautiful castles in the region. The castle was built around 1850, was over 30 hectares in size and had Italian architectural influences. From the beginning of the First World War, the beautiful park was occupied by the Germans. In 1914, the front ran right through it and the park was then on German territory. On 4 October 1917, British troops succeeded in taking the northeastern part of the park. However, they did not get any further and the offensive was stopped on the ridge. The entire area was shot to pieces and the Reutelbeek, which flowed through the park, formed a wide swamp. Triggered? Want to know more about the war past? Click through to https://www.toerismezonnebeke.be/nl/zien-en-doen/polderhoek-chateau-verdwenen-kasteel/

In the park behind the Vanackere castle (the current town hall) there are two gloriettes. These gazebos, probably built before the construction of the castle in 1896, initially bordered the park. A wall ran between the two, which was demolished when the park was expanded. The pavilion to the east of the town hall has a double landing staircase and a built-in ice cellar. No original interior elements were preserved in the pavilions. Source: Inventory of Immovable Heritage

Between 1894 and 1896, Jules Aimée Constant Van Ackere had his mansion replaced by a castle in an eclectic architectural style. The Kortrijk architect Cyriel Vanhoutte was inspired by various neo-styles for this building. The castle and park were closed off from the public road by a cast-iron fence with two gates. With the reconstruction of the Kortrijk-Menen road in 1960, the fence in front of the castle disappeared. During the First and Second World Wars, the house was requisitioned by the German occupiers to function as an "Ortskommandantur". Purchased in its entirety by the municipality in 1953. To this day, it serves as a town hall. Source: Inventory of Immovable Heritage

The beautiful castle grounds are central to the town of Zonnebeke. Here you will also find the Passchendaele Museum and Koklikoo, an excellent restaurant. This is accessible through an imposing stone gate next to The Church of Our Lady.

The castle of Beselare, where the Van der Woestine family lived for 400 years, was located between the Keiberg and the Kortrijkdreve. The decline began in the second half of the 18th century. Seized by a display of exaggerated splendor and wastefulness, Marquis François III Maximiliaan Antoon Van der Woestine began to sell homesteads, estates and forests around 1770. The wealthy bailiwick family Duval from Beselare was usually the buyer. The horrors of the French revolution did the rest. The hunt for the nobles was on and the marquis fell into the hands of the French and was beheaded on May 12, 1794 on the scaffold at Cambrai, together with other nobles. His son and successor Charles Ghislain Van der Woestine became the last lord and margrave of Beselare. The French Revolution had abolished feudalism. The Marquis, also called the old Marquis or the Kwa Marquis, left the castle on September 7, 1796 and fled abroad. Many of the goods were publicly sold in 1802 and 1803 by the office of notaries Jan Baptiste Meersseman van Beselare and J. Vandermeersch van Ypres. A few years later, the plundered castle was also sold and shortly afterwards (around 1813) demolished. There are still two copper engravings of the former glorious castle, one by J. Milheuser from 1641 and one by an unknown artist. They are located in the convent of the Sisters of Mary in Izegem.