We drove about only 10 minutes from Stijn's family home, parked the car, and this is what I saw!
Rumbeke Castle (Dutch: Kasteel van Rumbeke), in Rumbeke in West Flanders, is one of the oldest Renaissance architecture castles of Belgium.
Castle Rumbeke was built in 1538 and for centuries was owned by the count, Thomas de Thiennes and his wife Margareta d'Harméricourt. The castle of Rumbeke suffered damage during the invasion of Flanders by French king Louis XIV, as well as during the French Revolution and in both world wars more than a century later. In fact, during World War I, it was taken over by the Germans and became for a short period of time, the home of Baron Manfred von Richthofen, better known as the Red Baron, who was credited with shooting down 80 enemy aircraft in his brightly painted red airplane.
Although most of the building was built during the Renaissance period, on the site of a very much older fortress, it gained some slightly Neoclassical features after its renovation during the 18th century.
During those renovations, the adjacent forest, the Sterrebos or the Star Forest, was added to its grounds. The forest was modelled after the Prater park in Vienna.
Did you ever see the movie "That Lucky Touch"? I haven't but maybe now I will. It's a comedy which was partially shot in Rumbeke in 1975, starring Roger Moore and Shelley Winters.
I'm particapating in Watery Wednesday. So please be sure to see some other fascinating watery pictures over at "Watery Wednesday"
