Boekenberg Tower

Boekenberg Tower is the name I gave to this tower. Locally it is just known as the ruined tower. It stands in the Boekenberg Park in the city of Antwerp, in the province of Antwerp in the Flemish region in Belgium.

Boekenberg Tower may have a kind of medieval look but it is actually a folly. It was built around 1800 by J.W. Smets, a banker-merchant, who had the park built as a new extension to Boekenberg Castle.

That castle, a mid-18th century mansion although in its core dating back to the 16th century, was bought by Smets in 1798. He then had the park adorned with the 'ruined' tower, the arched bridge, an artificial cave and even a Japanese pagoda as he mainly conducted business with Japan and China.

The pagoda didn't survive until the present day and the castle now serves as a home for adolescents. The park was opened up to the public in 1926.

At present the Boekenberg Tower is used by the Natural History Museum Boekenberg which is housed in the artificial cave underneath it. The park is freely accessible.

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