Castle of Wurfeld

Castle of Wurfeld (Dutch: Kasteel van Wurfeld) is a moated country house standing in the hamlet of Wurfeld, on the outskirts of Maaseik in the Belgian province of Limburg. Despite the word "castle" in its name, it is in fact a modest, intimate residence dating back to the mid-17th century, today run as a hotel and restaurant.

Who built Wurfeld, and when?

The story begins around 1640, when two brothers, Willem and Jacob Croll, canons of the Our Lady Chapter in Maaseik, decided to erect their own residence on the site. Next to it they built a chapel dedicated to Saint Lawrence (Sint-Laurentius), which still survives today as part of the ensemble. The residence itself was a two-storey building raised above a vaulted cellar and surrounded by a moat — a layout typical of small clerical and minor-nobility residences in this region during the early modern period. This original pairing of house and chapel still forms the historic core of the complex.

How did ownership change over time?

After the brothers' death, the property passed to R.N.J. Smets, dean of the collegiate church of Maaseik. In 1749, a certain Verschuyl became the owner. Notably, neither the castle nor its adjoining chapel was confiscated during the French period, when the Revolution and later Napoleonic rule stripped many similar church-owned estates from ecclesiastical hands elsewhere — Wurfeld remained the property of the Maaseik parish throughout this turbulent era. It was only in 1840 that the church fabrica (the body managing parish property) sold the estate to A. Eyckholt, lord of Visserweert. That sale closed the ecclesiastical chapter of Wurfeld's history and opened a new phase of secular ownership that lasted for decades.

From private residence to hotel

The modern history of the building centers on its conversion into a hospitality venue. From 1993 it was run as a hotel and restaurant by the Dutchman Etienne Odekerken. That business eventually went bankrupt, leaving the castle vacant for about a year. It then found a new owner in Sander Janssen, a Dutchman with Limburg roots, who carried out an extensive renovation and restored its function as a hotel. This cycle of decline and revival illustrates how small historic residences around Maaseik continue to find new purpose as tourism venues, even after commercial setbacks.

What should visitors know before going?

The castle stands on the Kapelweg, in a quiet, rural setting on the edge of Maaseik — a town known as the "town of Bruegel" and a popular base for cyclists exploring the Meuse valley. The moat encircling the building and the neighbouring Saint Lawrence chapel give the site the character of a small, self-contained enclave set against the open farmland of Wurfeld. Today the building functions primarily as a working hotel and restaurant, so visiting it usually means staying overnight or dining there rather than joining a classic museum-style tour.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Castle of Wurfeld an actual defensive fortress? No — despite the name "castle," it is a small, moated residence built for clergymen in the 17th century, not a fortified stronghold.

Can the interior be visited today? The building operates as a hotel and restaurant, so access is generally tied to staying or dining there.

What happened to the chapel next to the castle? The Saint Lawrence chapel, built alongside the residence by the Croll brothers, still survives as part of the estate today.

Has the castle always belonged to the same family? No — ownership changed several times: from the Croll canons, to dean Smets and the Verschuyl family, to the secular owner Eyckholt in the 19th century, and in recent decades to a succession of hotel operators.