CASTLES SINT-PIETERS-LEEUW

Kasteel Coloma is a 16th-century fortified stronghold, originally built around 1515, transformed into an elegant castle when Charles-Vital de Coloma acquired it through marriage to baroness Eugenia Roose. The square structure with corner towers and pear-shaped roof is surrounded by a moat and sits within a 15-hectare park in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Flemish Brabant. Since 1984, the municipality has converted it into a vibrant cultural center hosting exhibitions and community events. The estate is renowned for its exceptional rose garden—the largest in Europe—featuring over 3,000 varieties from 25 countries, housed within a restored 19th-century tower that serves as the Rose Museum.

Klein Bijgaarden is a neoclassical castle in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium, with origins dating to approximately 1250 as a Bernardine convent where nuns drained marshlands to create productive farmland. In 1800, Guillaume Wittouck purchased the former monastic buildings along with 100 hectares of land. Major renovations by his descendant Félix-Guillaume in 1866 transformed the old cloister into the distinctive neoclassical castle seen today, designed by architect Beyaert. Features include a U-shaped brick structure with arduin stone details, rounded arch windows, an ornate Corinthian portal, and decorative roof dormers. The Wittouck family served as burgomasters for three generations. Currently operated as a retirement home, the castle represents centuries of Belgian architectural and social history.

Kasteel Hemelrijk in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw dates to the 17th century with modifications from the early 18th century, featuring a distinctive polygonal tower with radial windows and characteristic period stonework. Originally inhabited by the De Rusebroec family from the 12th century and later by the T'Serclaes and Cuypers families, the castle was acquired in 1865 by industrialist Henri-Joseph Rey, who converted it into a convent school. Today the complex functions as the free primary school Jan Ruusbroec, surrounded by modern school buildings while preserving the original castle structure and a 1901 school wing with rounded arcades. A war memorial on the northeastern gable commemorates WWI casualties.