Kasteel van Laarne

About the museum

Laarne Castle is a well-preserved medieval moated castle. Excavations show that the ground was farmland until around 1200. Around 1300 a sandstone building rose, and in the early 14th century the site developed into a fortification with a pentagonal ground plan, three round towers, a square keep and a moat. A drawbridge at the gatehouse was the only entrance. In 1607 the notorious Laarne witch trials took place in the keep: six suspects were questioned and tortured, and four of them were burned at the stake.

In the second half of the 17th century Geraard van Vilsteren had the castle extensively remodelled into a comfortable summer residence, with a gallery wing, the knights' hall and a ceremonial courtyard, among other features. In 1673 Laarne became a barony. In the 19th century the castle lost its role as a residence and gradually fell into decay.

In 1943 the castle was protected as a monument, and in 1953 Count De Ribaucourt gave it to the non-profit association Vereniging der Historische Woonsteden van België. The association had it restored and furnished it mainly with 17th-century art objects, furniture and tapestries. It has been open to visitors since 1967, and in 1996 the castle received the Europa Nostra Award. On 1 July 2022 the association granted the castle on a long-term hereditary lease to Herita, which manages it and opens it to the public.

Highlights

• Notorious 1607 witch trials and the questioning and torture room in the keep
• Interactive movieguide HEKSEN! as an audio story
• 14th-century chapel with medieval wall paintings and a light projection
• Claude D'Allemagne silver collection with some five hundred objects
• Knights' hall, inner courtyard and children's treasure hunt with Heintje Heks

Permanent exhibitions

• Het kasteel en de heksenprocessen – A tour of the historic rooms, the keep with the questioning room of the witch trials and the inner courtyard, with the movieguide HEKSEN! as an audio story.
• Zilvercollectie Claude D'Allemagne – A European collection of some five hundred silver objects from about 1550 to 1931.
• Kapel met middeleeuwse muurschilderingen – In the 14th-century chapel a light projection reconstructs the lost parts of the medieval wall paintings.

Founded

1967

Operated by

Herita vzw

Admission & discounts

Herita members enter free. Residents of Laarne receive €3 off (show proof on your visit). Booking can be done online.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: not available
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The castle is a historic building without a lift. Only the ground floor (entrance hall, knights' hall, gallery, small salon, dining room and vestibule) and the inner courtyard are accessible to wheelchair users; the other rooms can be viewed with the movieguide and a digital application on a tablet. There are no adapted toilets in the castle; the nearest toilet for wheelchair users is in the restaurant in the outbuildings. Blind and visually impaired visitors are best advised to contact the castle in advance: volunteers guide them, the room texts are available beforehand, and a large tactile model shows the four building phases. Deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors can read the informative texts in the rooms. Dogs are not admitted, except guide dogs. The ceremonial courtyard has a fixed layer of dolomite, and the paths in the inner courtyard have turning circles for wheelchairs.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Children go on a quest with Heintje Heks: the 3- to 5-year-olds hunt for witches with a magnetic board, the 6- to 12-year-olds receive a search booklet with tasks, and successful sleuths are rewarded with a treat. The quests are included with the castle ticket.

Getting there & parking

The castle lies at the end of the Kasteeldreef, which starts at the church in the centre of Laarne. It is at cycle junction 24 and on the cycle routes Langs Begoniavelden and Fietsen langs kastelen; you can park your bicycle at the entrance to the grounds.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant

Restaurant of chef Bart Gossye in the castle's outbuildings, also for afternoon tea. Picnicking in the garden or on the estate is not allowed; picnic benches are on the nearby Kasteeldreef.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

In the knights' hall you can hold a lecture, concert or presentation. Both the wedding ceremony and the reception can take place on the castle grounds; photo and film shoots are possible.

Plan your visit