Castle domain Smissenbroek

Former country estate known as "Castle Smissenbroek" and also "Castle Keiberg", both names derived from toponyms of the site. Castle domain of 17 hectares located southeast adjacent to the Geraardsbergen road, south and west to the Ettingebeek, a border stream with Scheldewindeke. At the site of the current castle, in the marshy "Hettingen", initially stood a gentlemen's residence (possibly a hunting lodge) within a two-part rectangular enclosure with an entrance gate and bridge; originally dating back at least to the 17th century, but no further historical data. In the 1740s, a new country estate was built by the Maelcamp family on the old moated site with the establishment of an axial double access avenue and a castle park featuring paths, ditches, mounds, and ponds according to a geometric pattern. The Marquis of Rode, Rodriguez d'Evora y Vega, acquired the castle in 1808. It was later inherited by the d'Ursel family, who rented it out until 1988.

Toerisme Oosterzele