Ham Castle

Ham Castle, locally known as Kasteel ter Ham, lies in the town of Steenokkerzeel, in the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish region in Belgium.

The first stone fortification here actually stood on the site of the present bailey. The four corner towers of this current bailey are remnants of that earlier 12th-century castle. That castle was owned by the Van Hamme family from 1353 to 1473.

Around 1500, Filip Hinckaert ordered its demolition. He replaced it with the current Ham Castle, built of white sandstone.

The castle has had many owners over the years. Its last owner was the De Croix family. Between 1929 and 1940, they rented it out to an illustrious European family, the Von Habsburgs. From 1929 until 1939, the Austrian Empress Zita, widow of Karl I von Habsburg, Emperor of Austria, and her son Otto von Habsburg, lived at the castle and hosted many European royals.

During World War II, the Germans confiscated the castle, causing significant damage. They also removed all the roofs and part of the top floor because of its proximity to Brussels' Zaventem airport.

After the war, the De Croix family sold the castle to the Belgian government, and extensive restoration work followed. However, the roofs were not replaced, for the same reasons the Germans had taken them off.

Today, the castle functions as a conference venue. Its appearance is quite distinctive, and since the airport is very close, you can see the control tower from the car park in front of the bailey, with planes frequently flying overhead.

Gallery