castle in Kerkom

Kasteel van Kerkom, also known historically as Alstergoed, is a heritage-listed castle and park complex on Kerkstraat in Kerkom-bij-Sint-Truiden, a village that forms part of the municipality of Sint-Truiden in Belgium's Limburg province, Flanders. For centuries it served as the seat of the Lords of Kerkom, and it remains one of the most notable historic sites in this small village.

Where does the name Alstergoed come from?

The estate's older name, Alstergoed, derives from the Van Alsteren family, who held lordship over Kerkom from the late 14th century until 1675. This family was the first to establish the property as a proper noble residence, and the earliest recorded mention of a castle at Kerkom dates back to 1396.

How did ownership of the estate change over time?

After the Van Alsteren line, the property passed to the Van Schoor family, who held it between 1707 and 1774. It was this family that built a classicist-style castle on the grounds, replacing earlier structures with a residence reflecting the architectural taste of the period. Another major turning point came in 1889, when the estate's then owner, Baron F. de Moffart, commissioned a new eclectic-style castle, built slightly to the northeast of the older classicist building.

What survives from the earlier castle?

The construction of the new eclectic residence sealed the fate of the older classicist building, most of which was demolished. However, the northeastern wing and the eastern corner towers of the earlier castle were preserved, standing today as physical evidence of the 18th-century phase of the estate's development and offering a glimpse of its original layout.

What does the surrounding park look like?

Both structures — the surviving classicist fragment and the later eclectic castle — sit within a shared terraced park featuring an ornamental garden laid out across several levels. In two corners of this garden stand octagonal garden pavilions dating from 1760, among the few elements still standing from the estate's earliest phase of landscaping.

Why does this site matter today?

Kasteel van Kerkom is listed in Flanders' official heritage inventory (Inventaris Onroerend Erfgoed) as a protected monument, confirming its historical and architectural significance to the local community. The castle and park complex is a rare example of continuous noble occupation of a single site across more than six centuries — from the first documented mention in 1396, through the Van Alsteren and Van Schoor eras, to the late 19th-century rebuilding.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors tour Kasteel van Kerkom? The site holds protected monument status but remains private property, so public access may be limited — it is worth checking current information before planning a visit.

Why is the castle also called Alstergoed? This is the estate's older name, derived from the Van Alsteren family, who ruled Kerkom from the late 14th century until 1675.

What is the oldest surviving part of the estate? The oldest surviving elements are a fragment of the 18th-century classicist castle (its wing and corner towers) along with two octagonal garden pavilions dating from 1760.

Who built the current eclectic-style castle? The new eclectic-style castle was commissioned in 1889 by the estate's then owner, Baron F. de Moffart.