Castle of Beersel

The Castle of Beersel, is located in the Belgian town of Beersel, south of Brussels. It has 3 ponderous watchtowers, and is surrounded by a wide moat.

The castle was first mentioned in the 12th century but the present fortress was constructed by Godfrey of Hellebeek between 1300 and 1310 as a defense base for Brussels. The castle was damaged during the war of succession of Brabant (1356-57), but was repaired just after that. During the rebellion against Maximilian of Austria, Beersel supported Maximilian, and the castle was sieged, taken and plundered by the Brusselians in 1489. It burnt down and was partially destroyed, but restored after the war.

A tiled roof was added in the 17th century, but the castle became unoccupied from the 18th century. In 1818, a cotton factory occupied the site of the fortress. The property passed by a series of marriages to the Stalle, Witthem, Arenberg and Merode families. A member of the latter family donated the castle to the League of Friends of the Castle of Beersel in 1928, which restored it. In 1948, it passed to the Royal Association of Historic Residences in Belgium.

It also functions as the background for the Spike and Suzy (Dutch: Suske en Wiske) comic "De schat van Beersel" (Dutch for "The treasure of Beersel").

External links

*(Dutch) [http://www.vakantiegenoegens.be/uitstapwijzer/Beersel_kasteel.htm Het Kasteel van Beersel: middeleeuws tot en met]