Castle of Calmont

Allegedly "Castle of Calmont," also mapped in the 19th century as "Castle at Quaremont." Named after the former lordship of Calmont or Callenberg. Located on the Kluisberg at 125 m altitude, on the border with Kwaremont, defined by the Kieverbeek located beside the castle domain, and Russeignies. The original castle or hunting pavilion was sold in 1813 by the Ghellinck d'Elseghem Vaernewyck family to J.P. Behaghel, who presumably rebuilt it shortly thereafter in Empire style. Commissioned by Laure Behaghel, wife of A. de Crombrugge de Beaupré, a new castle was built in 1852 in eclectic brick style to the design of architect Carpentier (Beloeil) a little further from the old castle, which was made available to the St. Francis Monastery of Kwaremont and used as a Catholic school colony from Ghent. However, the so-called new castle was completely destroyed during World War II, on September 3, 1944. The old castle was restored and re-inhabited by the Behaghel de Bueren family.

In 1907, six burial mounds from the 2nd century were investigated in the castle park, part of the northwestern foothills of the continental group of burial mound cemeteries. During World War II, the Germans built a launch base for V1 missiles in the park. The area was leveled after World War II. Access to a beautifully laid out and well-maintained park is via an iron gate on brick pillars with ball finials on the Kwaremont territory, leading to the castle via Lindendreef. A decline to the southeast and side entrance in the Knoktstraat in Kwaremont, also with an iron gate on brick pillars and a beech avenue.

The current castle, reportedly a former hunting pavilion, was built in a simple Empire style in the first quarter of the 19th century. A white plastered and painted castle of three building levels under a slate roof, formerly with a belvedere. The façade has five bays with barred rectangular windows on a leak threshold. Emphasis on the bel étage with Empire features, namely rounded arch frames with a blind arch field of three central bays and decorative panels with reliefs above the side bays. Rectangular door in natural stone framing with a crowning entablature in Empire style. Simple side façades of three bays with similar windows.

Interior. Allegedly completely renewed after war damage in Empire style. Service housing (number 12) and a spacious coach house perpendicular to it, presumably from the first half of the 19th century. Connected to the castle by a gate façade. House of six bays and one and a half building levels under tiled roofs with a small roof structure with a weather vane. Plastered and painted list façade with rounded arch arcade with pilaster rhythm; barred rectangular lower windows and semicircular windows in the arch fields. Perpendicular to it is a coach house of seven bays and two building levels under a gable roof (tiles). Painted brick façade with a similar rounded arch arcade on pilasters, with arched gates. Interior equipped with barrel vaults.

To the south of the coach house, later-built stables, service buildings, and around a dovecote of whitened brick on a plinth and conical roof (slates). Walled former kitchen garden and a greenhouse attached to the stables and chicken coop. To the south of the service housing, two service buildings and two gates enclose a grazed yard. Anchored, whitened façades on a plinth, characterized by rounded arch arcades, blind or with gates and doors.

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