Hof ter Saksen – Beveren, Belgium - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

Hof ter Saksen

Beveren, Belgium

The ruins of a castle sat decaying in this park for years before a massive renovation restored this area to its past beauty. 

View all photos
Giant tree at Hof ter Saksen "Hof ter Saksen Beveren 036" by dcveerle is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (Creative Commons)
Orangerie at Hof ter Saksen "Hof ter Saksen Beveren 007" by dcveerle is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (Creative Commons)
Hof ter Saksen before renovations Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) (Creative Commons)
27
75
Top Places in Belgium
Les Gilles with oranges
Carnival of Binche
Binche, Belgium
The Birthplace of 'In Flanders Fields'
Ypres, Belgium
Smedenpoort Skull
Bruges, Belgium
 See All

The story of Hof ter Saksen dates back to the Middle Ages, at which time a hostel and farm building stood where a castle was constructed centuries later in the 1700s. 

The castle was known by many names, including “Het Schaak,” “Het Goed Schaeckx,” and “Saeckx” before being dubbed Hof ter Saksen, which means Court of the Saxony.

Prior to a 2004 renovation, the castle that stood in this East Flanders park sat empty for an indeterminate period of time as the surrounding woods threatened to swallow it whole. Trees grew from within the castle causing portions of the roof to collapse. 

The renovation involved a complete rebuild of the castle, along with a total overhaul of the park, and the addition of several new features. These included an orangerie with a cafeteria, a nature garden, an ice house, and a large apple orchard. The arboretum founded by the Decalut family in 1980 was expanded to include over 4,500 plants.

The park is also filled with trees, including some remarkably large catalpas and other uncommon species. It is said to be a favorite spot for birdwatchers.

Know Before You Go

A pre-renovation image of Hof ter Saksen appeared on a picture disc 7" record by Swedish dark ambient/industrial project Deutsch Nepal on a 1997 release on the German record label Ant-Zen, entitled "Environment."

castles history & culture architecture
Nearby
Mercator Museum
4.60 miles
Gilliot & Roelants Tile Museum
6.10 miles
St. Anna's Tunnel
6.81 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Mercator Globe
Sint-Niklaas, Belgium

Mercator Museum

Housing the groundbreaking maps and globes of Gerard Mercator.
Hemiksem, Belgium

Gilliot & Roelants Tile Museum

The only museum dedicated to the tile production for which the Rupel region was renowned.
Wooden escalators, can't slide down the middle.
Antwerp, Belgium

St. Anna's Tunnel

Rare wooden escalators lead deep down into an otherwise staggeringly monotonous tiled tunnel.
The Little Boat in Antwerp.
Antwerp, Belgium

Het Bootje (The Little Boat)

The patron of this extravagant Art Nouveau confection insisted that nothing less than a boat should project from its facade.
Related Places
Crawford Castle
Crawford, Scotland

Crawford Castle

These crumbling ruins are all that's left of the ancestral home of Clan Crawford.
Mackenzie Castle
Genoa, Italy

Mackenzie Castle

This Gothic revival structure has been a family home, a military base, a gymnastics center, and is now owned by one of the largest auction houses in Italy.
Dalquharran Castle
Dailly, Scotland

Dalquharran Castle

The ruins of this magnificent Scottish castle blend both Gothic and Renaissance architectural styles.
Mains Castle
East Kilbride, Scotland

Mains Castle

This castle was first occupied in the 1400s and has undergone major restoration in recent times.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web