Olsene Castle

The Castle of Olsene is located along the Kortrijk-Gent road (N43) in Olsene - Zulte. It was built in 1854 in Flemish neo-Renaissance style and is surrounded by a beautifully landscaped park. The castle is privately owned and not accessible to the public, but it is worth stopping by. Piers de Raveschoot: The Castle of Olsene and its residents, the Piers de Raveschoot family, have colored village life and local politics. For over a hundred years, a Piers de Raveschoot served as mayor. The last descendant to hold the mayor's sash was Stanislas Piers de Raveschoot. His daughter Solange was the last direct descendant to inhabit the castle. The first stone of the current castle was laid on September 18, 1854, by the nobleman and lady Polydore Piers-Surmont de Volsberghe. The building itself was constructed on the foundations of the old fortress, Hof Ter Wallen. During construction, the subsoil was kept dry with stacked donkey skins, on which thousands of wooden piles rest, supporting the castle. The building materials were transported with carts and wheelbarrows. From the ship at the unloading dock of the Leie to the construction site, a chain of over 200 men was active. Within a period of five years, the castle was completed, which was a record for that time. In the garden along the Great Stone Road, there lies a large hill, also known as a drifting sand ridge. This site is also said to be the highest point of Olsene. Beneath it is an ice cellar where the ice reportedly stayed at temperature for months. In the deep round tub, various layers were made. These consisted of a layer of straw on which the ice was sprinkled with coarse salt. Multiple layers were created until the tub was filled. From the top side of the tub, a large rounded space was left above. This space served as a refrigerator to store various food items. Ice blocks were also provided for the villagers and hospitals. They served as pain relievers for ailments such as stomach issues (the fire), sprains of arms and legs, high fever, etc. The grotto, also known as "Olsene Rotse," can be found at the corner of Machelenstraat and Kasteelstraat in Olsene. Between the castle and the grotto there used to be a beautiful avenue of about 830 meters long (a piece extending beyond the rock). According to legend, there is an underground tunnel beneath the avenue running between the grotto and the Castle of Olsene. You can see the beginning of the tunnel in the grotto, which is said to have collapsed!? As was customary at that time, there were also two cannons at the entrance bridge to the Castle of Olsene. The coats of arms of the Piers family and the Surmont de Volsberghe family are emblazoned on the cannons themselves. Over time, the cannons fell into a deplorable state. All repairs were carried out by students from the VTI of Ostend. On June 23, 2006, the cannons from the Castle of Olsene returned home.

Dirk Acx