Kasteel Van Bever

Gazing upon Kasteel Van Bever, imagine the grand celebrations held within its walls. This neoclassical marvel, also known as “het Nekkerken”, stands as a testament to centuries of history. Kasteel Van Bever’s story begins long before its current structure graced this land. Some historians believe the original site housed the motte of the Lords of Bever. In 1748, Count Philip Emmanuel Melchior de Villegas de Clercamp acquired the estate. The estate expanded throughout the eighteenth century. Then in 1846, Jan Constantijn Villegas de Clercamp dramatically reshaped the landscape. He demolished the existing buildings. In their place, he commissioned the construction of the Kasteel Van Bever we see today, along with a U-shaped coach house. The formal gardens and ponds to the east were replaced by a single, large pond. This pond, shaped like an inverted nine, hints at the remnants of a motte-and-bailey castle. Yet, it was artificially created in the mid-19th century. Kasteel Van Bever continued to evolve. Around 1885, a walled kitchen garden complete with an entrance tower, orangery, and service buildings was added. In 1904, a caretaker’s house was built behind the kitchen garden, and a greenhouse nestled between the orangery and the tower. Even beyond the castle walls, the Villegas family left their mark. A Saint Anthony’s Chapel was erected opposite the southern entrance in 1896. Another chapel dedicated to Our Lady, was built next to the caretaker’s house at the northern entrance in 1945. During the 20th century, Kasteel Van Bever underwent two phases of westward expansion. In 2004, the castle and coach house were transformed into office spaces, and the caretaker’s house was replaced with a new residence. Kasteel Van Bever, despite its various construction phases, maintains a homogenous neoclassical appearance. Look closely at the eighth bay and lower annex, later additions that disrupted the original symmetry. The white-painted, plastered facade is punctuated by string courses, and the front and rear facades feature a three-bay central projection with arched openings on the ground floor. Though renovated, Kasteel Van Bever whispers tales of its past. The original marble floor tiles and the wooden staircase with its iron railing in the entrance hall offer glimpses into its former grandeur.