Kasteel Van Schoten

Schoten, Belgium, Belgium

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Kasteel van Schoten is a historic moated castle in the town of Schoten, directly north of Antwerp in the province of Antwerp, Belgium, located in the centre of a large municipal park along Kasteeldreef.

The site was first recorded in 1232 as a farm called the “Hof van Schoten”, which over the centuries grew into a manor house and then a substantial castle, greatly damaged in 1548 by the forces of Maarten van Rossem and rebuilt shortly afterwards under the Antwerp burgomaster Jan Crombach, with the four corner towers and much of the present appearance dating from the 16th century.

The castle is said to bear a striking resemblance to the smaller Kasteel Bouvigne in Breda, both once linked to the former lords of Schoten whose flag was identical to that of Breda, and its Dutch name “Wetschot” reflects its historical status as a “wetschot”, a privileged house outside the city walls. In 1950–1951 the municipality of Schoten bought the castle and estate from the noble Ullens de Schooten family, and in 1955 it was converted into a cultural centre that now hosts concerts, exhibitions, theatre performances and other artistic events.

A foyer on the lower level and adjoining park facilities including sports fields, playgrounds, meadows, a pond, deer pasture and woodland walking areas. The castle itself is surrounded by a wide moat and sits in a 40‑hectare park; while the interior is used for cultural activities and public access inside is generally limited to events or guided visits, the building and its park remain a prominent landmark and a popular destination for recreation and local heritage in the Antwerp region.