Turkeyenhof

Turkeyenhof is a historic polder farmstead in Bredene, one of the best-preserved examples of this traditional coastal farm type in Belgium. Today the buildings house a local heritage museum run by Heemkring Ter Cuere, a regional history association, offering a window into the everyday life of this stretch of coast across the centuries.

Where does the name come from?

The name Turkeyenhof derives from a former neighborhood called "Turkeyen," which once lay along the Driftweg, between Groenendijk and Parklaan. That part of Bredene disappeared when the Royal Road (Koninklijke Baan) was built in 1904. The neighborhood itself took its name from a nearby farmstead called "Cleen Turquie," located at the end of Groenendijk.

How old is the farmstead?

The site's history goes back much further than the current buildings. A farmstead of this name was already marked on Pieter Pourbus's map of the Brugse Vrije, drawn up between 1560 and 1571. The farm was destroyed during the siege of Ostend (1601–1604) and later rebuilt following the draining and reclamation of the surrounding land in the 17th century. The farmhouse in its present form dates from a renovation in 1737. In its day, Turkeyenhof was counted among the largest polder farms in the Ostend district.

What does the farmstead look like?

Turkeyenhof is built in the classic style of a coastal polder farm. The complex includes a farmhouse, a bakehouse, a barn, a cart shed and a doghouse. One distinctive feature is a storage room positioned above the cellar — a solution typical of farms in this low-lying region, designed to keep supplies safe from damp and flooding.

What can visitors see in the museum?

The farmstead now belongs to the municipality of Bredene, and its rooms are used by Heemkring Ter Cuere, a regional heritage association founded in 1966 that has been based at Turkeyenhof since 1972. The museum, set up in the attic of the farm building, recreates the life of an average family between 1850 and 1950: visitors can browse old household items, tools from long-vanished trades, and photographs and posters documenting Bredene's past. The collection also includes Gallo-Roman finds dated to 70–100 AD, along with an striking display of shells, fossils and mammoth remains recovered by Flemish fishermen over the years.

When can you visit?

The museum keeps limited opening hours: Wednesday afternoons from 14:30 to 16:30, and Sunday mornings from 10:00 to 13:00. In summer, the farmyard hosts free folk concerts and folk dancing evenings, turning the site into a small local cultural hub as well as a heritage stop.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Turkeyenhof located? The farmstead is at Zegelaan 42 in Bredene, on the Belgian coast.

Who manages the site today? The building belongs to the municipality of Bredene, and the museum is run by the local heritage association Heemkring Ter Cuere.

When does the current building date from? The farmhouse in its present form dates from a 1737 renovation, though a farmstead of the same name stood on the site as early as the 16th century.

Is there an entrance fee? Opening hours are restricted to a couple of days a week — it's worth checking current details before visiting, as they can change.