Castle of Ingelmunster

In the year 640 of our era, English monks inhabited a monastery, located at the site where the castle now stands. It is suspected on one hand that the name Ingelmunster may have originated from this: Anglo-Monasterium. On the other hand, it was the location that gave Ingelmunster its name, 'at the corner, at the outskirts' of the Dendermonde lordship: 'Angle-Monastère'. In 1075, the Count of Flanders, namely Robert the Frisian, built a fortified castle on the ruins of the monastery. This count placed great importance on this location due to its militarily advantageous position: along the waterway the Mandel and along the military road Kortrijk - Bruges. The location of Ingelmunster was of such strategic importance that the place was called 'the key to Flanders'. In 1736, the castle was rebuilt on the basement floors that still date from the Middle Ages. This is the building as we still know it today. Over the centuries, it changed from a military fortress to a luxurious country house. The lordship of Ingelmunster - since the end of the 16th century a Barony - belonged to several families, including: the de Rhodes and van Gistel families (1000 - 1384), the Bourgondi and van Kleef families (1384 - 1583), the de Plotho family (1583 - 1825), the de Montblanc family (1825 - 1986). In 1986, the van Honsebrouck family, a local brewing family, purchased the castle, restored it, and opened it to the public. The 12.5-hectare estate was also made freely accessible. In September 2001, a fire destroyed two-thirds of the castle. The building itself suffered extensive damage, but worse was the irrevocable loss of the furnishings: furniture, tapestries, sculptures, paintings, ... disappeared forever in the flames. The unique wax figure museum also vanished forever. Currently, the castle as a building has been restored to its former state. Unfortunately, it is no longer accessible to the public.

Mazie