2023-11-28 13:18:49
The start of the large-scale restoration of Horst Castle in Holsbeek (Flemish Brabant) was officially given on Tuesday. The castle will be placed on underground piles to prevent it from sinking into water. The castle’s round tower has become very unstable over the years.
The oldest parts of Horst Castle, home of the Red Knight, Willy Vandersteen’s cartoon character, date from the 15th century. Over the following centuries, different wings completed the castle. It has been experiencing stability issues for some time. In 2017, one of the two historic latrines collapsed from the top of the round tower. The archaeological and stability investigation demonstrated that it was necessary to reinforce the foundations of the building.
It turned out that the ground on which the castle stands has a steep slope towards the pond. As a result, the structure slowly sags. The round tower even sags by 2 millimeters per year.
Large-scale restoration
To prevent the structure from sliding, the tower will be placed on piles. The chapel and the bridge will also be reinforced with pile foundations. The dungeon will not need any stabilization measures.
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This large-scale restoration will also concern the roofs and facades. At the same time, the round tower will be hoisted in a sort of “corset”, attached to the wing of the castle and pulled towards it. In a later phase, the interiors and surroundings of the castle will also be reviewed and the grounds redeveloped.
The entire restoration work is expected to last until the first half of 2026. From spring next year, the site will be partially open to the public.
The total cost of the restoration amounts to 9 million euros.
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