- Address: Ooidonkdreef 9, 9800 Deinze, Belgium
- Phone: +32 9 282 35 70
- E-mail: info@ooidonk.be
- Website: www.ooidonk.be
- Working hours: on Sundays and holidays from 14.00 to 17.30 (April 1 - September 15)
- The cost of the visit: adult - 9 euros, children under 12 years and schoolchildren - 3 euros
Your fascination with Belgium is ready to prolong the wonderful town on the water - Ghent . Its historical center is divided by several canals, along which numerous iron fences stretch, decorated with bright and colorful colors. From such a landscape breathtaking, and the city itself acquires some kind of sweetness and comfort. However, while traveling in Ghent , in addition to water excursions on the gondola, you should definitely take time to tour the castle of Van Oydonk, which is located fifteen kilometers from the city limits. Here you can perfectly relax from everyday bustle, admire the picturesque surroundings, and also partially immerse yourself in the Renaissance, strolling through the spacious halls of the estate.
A bit of history
Since Ghent, and Belgium as a whole, appears before us in the form of such a medieval place, it is simply criminal neglect to not go into the history of the castle Van Oydonk. Historians with firm confidence refer to the erection of this grandiose building for the XIII-XIV centuries. Initially, the estate belonged to Lord Nevel, but in the XIV century it became the property of the Montmorency family. Underwent two serious destruction, in 1595 the castle Oydonk was sold.
In the hands of the new owner, the banker Martin of the business of Fall, the estate was transformed into a kind of mansion in the Renaissance style with pronounced Spanish elements. However, with the next change of owner in 1870, the interior of the castle has undergone drastic changes, the authorship of which is attributed to the French architect Parent, who, however, managed to preserve the Renaissance style. Today, Van Oydonk belongs to the Rodenbeck family.
What is interesting to know for tourists?
Castle Van Oydonk seems an incredibly picturesque place. In its vicinity is a spacious park, striking by the riot of greenery, as well as the no less charming Lane River, while the fortress itself is surrounded by a moat that once served as a protective function, and now successfully complements the colorful landscape. The estate has about 400 square meters. m, where you can also find several restaurants and cafes. The main facilities of the complex are made of red bricks, and their quaint turrets in the shape of bulbs crown, in which some grace is guessed. The interior is impressive with rich decoration. In addition, here you can see the antique furniture, silver items, some paintings and tapestries, as well as several collections of fine arts.
However, to visit the castle of Van Oydonk is not so easy. The fact is that for tourists and visitors it is open from April 1 to September 15, only on Sundays and only a few hours after lunch, namely from 14.00 to 17.30. In the surrounding area of the castle, including gardens, are ready to receive visitors from 9.00 to 18.00, from Tuesday to Sunday. However, visits are not free: the entrance ticket to the building costs 9 euros, for children from 12 years old - 3 euros. Without visiting the castle, the entrance fee is 2 euro for adults and 0.5 euro for children. You can choose as a group excursion, or individual. In addition, the estate can be rented for any celebrations or events. However, it is hardly affordable for an ordinary tourist - the rental price per day is 2000 euros.
How to get there?
Castle Van Oydonk is located 15 km from the city of Ghent , in the vicinity of the town of Dainze. In the second case, the easiest way to get there is by taxi or by private transport, following the Leernsesteenweg. From Ghent, you can also drive by road on the N43. In addition, near the castle there is a bus stop Sint-Martens-Leerne Dorp, where the bus number 37 from Dainzne runs every 2 hours.
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