Kasteel De Warande

Kasteel De Warande is a castle in Kemmel, a village within the municipality of Heuvelland in West Flanders, standing at Bergstraat 24. The building visible today is not the original manor on this site — an earlier residence that once stood here was destroyed in 1918, during the First World War. The area around Kemmel, close to the edge of the Flanders battlefields, suffered particularly heavy damage in that period, and rebuilding country estates after the fighting ended was a common story across the region.

When was the current castle built, and by whom?

The present-day Kasteel De Warande was constructed in 1925, commissioned by Jacques Bruneel de la Warande, who was mayor of Kemmel at the time. The building was designed by architects Henri Carbon and Charles Pil in a neo-Renaissance style. One of its most recognizable features is its U-shaped floor plan, with wings arranged around a central section.

How has the building's use changed over time?

For a period after its construction, the castle served as a holiday residence for the family that had commissioned it. A major shift in function came in 1979, when the building was converted into the town hall of Heuvelland — a role it still holds today. This move from private residence to public administrative building mirrors the fate of many Belgian country estates during the twentieth century, as maintaining large private residences became increasingly difficult for families.

Is the castle a protected heritage site?

Yes — Kasteel De Warande was granted protected monument status in 2004. This protection covers both the structure of the building and its historical layout, a factor that has to be taken into account whenever renovation or modernization work is planned.

What restoration work has been carried out in recent years?

Because the building continues to function as the operating seat of the municipal government, it has gone through several rounds of restoration work in recent years. These have included renewing the roof covering and replacing windows — among them the installation of double glazing, aimed at improving thermal comfort inside a historic building where drafts and heat loss had become a noticeable issue for the staff working there. The work also addressed accessibility features for visitors with limited mobility. Investments of this kind are typically financed in part through funding earmarked for the protection of the region's cultural heritage.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors go inside Kasteel De Warande? The building functions as the active town hall of Heuvelland, so access to the interior is generally tied to municipal business rather than standard tourist visits.

Where exactly is the castle located? The castle stands in Kemmel, at Bergstraat 24, within the municipality of Heuvelland in the province of West Flanders.

Was there an earlier building on the same site? Yes, an earlier residence on this spot was destroyed in 1918 during the First World War, and the current castle was newly built in 1925.

What architectural style is the castle built in? The building is in the neo-Renaissance style, notable for its U-shaped floor plan.