Small Church Street 13 - Heritage Museum "De Veste"

The Liekendael estate is named after the last resident of the "borcht," namely Remy Liekendael, mayor of Sint-Stevens-Woluwe (1888-1968). The history of the borcht dates back to the 15th century. Since its first occupants, this property has changed hands many times and has undergone numerous changes, causing its medieval appearance to completely disappear. Together with the church and some streets, the borcht formed the village center. The borcht itself was a motte, meaning a castle on a height, surrounded by moats in the vicinity of a marshy area, located along the Woluwe. Around 1968, the estate was abandoned; the then-owners sold the estate. Through private initiative, part of the estate was subdivided for the establishment of 14 houses (Kasteelgaarde). The municipality incorporated the remaining part into the village core enhancement for the creation of a public green zone. In October 1988, the park was officially opened.

In memory of the "borcht," a storage building was constructed in 1957 on the Veste / Kl. Kerkstraat by the then municipality. This building was erected in the style of a 17th-century house. After the municipal mergers in 1977, this building was fully restored by the municipality of Zaventem and converted into a local home museum. The style has been preserved and also refers to the houses that were in the vicinity during the 17th century.

In May 1987, this museum was officially opened. The home museum has an important collection of old agricultural equipment, old farmhouse furniture, an inn interior, utensils, materials from craftsmen, documentation, and objects related to local history. This museum is open every weekday from 8 AM to 4 PM, weekends by appointment (for information: tel. 02/720 18 56).

Gemeente Zaventem