Constructed in: 1550
Typology: castle
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The Arenberg Castle in Heverlee, Belgium, was constructed in the 16th century, replacing a 12th-century fortress owned by the Lords of Heverlee. In 1445, the impoverished family sold the estate to the Picardian House of Croÿ. Under William II of Croÿ, the medieval castle was gradually replaced by the current structure, and he also founded the Celestine Monastery on the estate. After the death of the last Duke, Charles III of Croÿ, in 1612, the castle came into the possession of the Dukes of Arenberg through marriage. The architecture is predominantly Flemish traditional, featuring a combination of brick and sandstone window frames, with elements from the late gothic, renaissance, and neo-gothic periods. Notable features include two large corner towers with pear-shaped spires, each adorned with a German eagle. Today, the castle is owned by KU Leuven and serves as the central building for Campus Arenberg, housing the Faculty of Engineering and the Raymond Lemaire International Center for Conservation.
