Kasteel de Bueren

Belgium, Belgium

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Kasteel de Bueren is a 16th‑century moated water castle in Melle‑Kwatrecht, located on the administrative boundary between the municipalities of Melle and Kwatrecht in East Flanders, Belgium.

The estate, originally recorded in 1408 as “Goed Ter Elst”, is today about 10 hectares in size and consists of a Renaissance core that was substantially altered in the late 19th century in a Neo‑Renaissance style, with a massive southwest corner tower, rebuilt entrance range and wide, square inner moats that still surround the inner courtyard.

The castle is named after Christophe‑Bernard de Bueren, a member of the old Belgian noble family de Bueren, Imperial hereditary knight and colonel, who bought the estate in the 18th century and was created a count in 1787; the property remained in the de Bueren and related families for two centuries before being sold to artist Wim Delvoye in 2007/2008.

Delvoye intended to restore the castle to its original state and create a sculpture park on the domain, but his plans met strong opposition from heritage and environmental authorities, leading to legal disputes and fines, and the castle and its grounds have remained largely closed to the public; in 2011 the artist put the property on the market for around 700,000 euros, and it is currently a private residence rather than a visitor site.