Kasteel Hoogveld

Kasteel Hoogveld is a small castle in Vliermaal, a village in the Belgian province of Limburg, standing on a hill more than a hundred metres high — the source of its name, Hoogveld, meaning "high field." The building sits at Hoogveldstraat 21, southeast of the village centre, surrounded by a castle park that still gives the site a quiet, rural character.

Who built the castle?

The original residence was raised by the Du Vivier family in the early 19th century. This was a period when many similar country houses were appearing across the Limburg region, combining a residential role with a representative one — Kasteel Hoogveld was never a defensive stronghold but rather an elegant rural estate.

Why was the castle rebuilt in the late 19th century?

The building's fate changed when a fire destroyed a significant part of the original structure toward the end of the 19th century. The reconstruction was not simply a restoration of what had burned down — the new owner gave the castle an entirely different architectural character. The year 1892, visible on the weathervane crowning the roof, marks the moment the estate passed to the De Ghelin family through marriage, a typical way for landed property to change hands between families at the time.

Who shaped the castle's present appearance?

The key figure behind today's appearance of Kasteel Hoogveld was Fernand Julien Joseph Marie Fontaine de Ghelin. On his initiative, the building was rebuilt in a style drawing on Neo-Flemish Renaissance architecture — a direction popular among Belgian nobility and prosperous bourgeoisie at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, referencing the native building tradition of Flanders and Brabant: stepped gables, decorative brickwork, and stone window surrounds.

What stands in the grounds around the castle?

Around 1900, on the order of the same Fernand Fontaine de Ghelin, a chapel known as the Hoogveldkapel was built on the estate grounds. It rose on the site of an older, earlier chapel, showing that this spot had long served a sacred function for the residents of the estate and the surrounding area. The chapel remains an integral part of the whole ensemble today, complementing the residential character of the complex.

How did the castle change during the 20th century?

In 1970, the exterior facade of the building was plastered over, altering its appearance compared with the original brick front typical of the Neo-Flemish style. This intervention reflects broader conservation and aesthetic trends of the period, when many historic residences in Belgium underwent modernisation to suit contemporary needs.

Can the castle be visited?

Kasteel Hoogveld today does not function as a museum or a representative residence open to visitors. The building has been divided into residential apartments, and its current residents have carried out restoration work, taking care to preserve the historic character of the structure. This makes the castle a living, inhabited building rather than a monument frozen in time.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Kasteel Hoogveld located? The castle stands in Vliermaal, in the province of Limburg in Flanders, at Hoogveldstraat 21, southeast of the village centre.

Where does the castle's name come from? The name Hoogveld refers to the building's position on a hill rising more than a hundred metres above the surrounding area.

Can visitors tour the interior? No — the building is now private property divided into residential apartments, with no tourist access.

What is the Hoogveldkapel? It is a chapel built around 1900 on the estate grounds at the initiative of Fernand Fontaine de Ghelin, on the site of an older chapel.