Castle of famous painter Peter Paul Rubens now on sale with Engel & Völkers

Hamburg, 22 February 2018. five years of his life (1635 – 1640). The estate lies in the village of Elewijt, around 27 kilometres northeast of Brussels. “The current owner has carried out a successive restoration of Elewijt Castle ever since 1955. The property was listed as a historical monument in 1948 and as of 2009 as a Belgian cultural heritage site,” said Freddy Daems, Managing Partner of Engel & Völkers Mechelen.

Historic castle estate with expansive park grounds
Set in approx. 8 hectares of grounds, the estate encompasses the main castle dating back to 1304, in addition to three other residences. In total there are 33 rooms, set over an interior of approx. 889 square metres. A stone bridge forms the grand entrance to the castle. Absolutely steeped in history, the property comprises two main wings: one forming the living space for the lord of the castle, and one designated to domestic staff. The castle presides over seven bedrooms, five reception rooms with fireplaces, three offices, and two kitchens, to name just some of the interiors. The three properties set in the grounds date from the 18th century. The first is a two-storey sandstone residence with six bedrooms and a bathroom. It special period features include a private chapel on the ground floor. The second property comprises four bedrooms and a bathroom, while the third residence features a garage for four cars, storage rooms, a workspace, greenhouse, a water tower, and small apartment.

Rubens produced some of his most well-known works here
The castle owed its name Castle Het Steen – Steen is Dutch for stone – to the fact that it was the first sandstone building in the region. Other sources maintain however that the name refers to the square stone tower that formed part of the property up until the 18th century. Ownership originally fell to the local knights of Wilre. From 1396 onwards, the estate was owned by the de Taeye family. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the castle had a strategic military function allowing the Duchy of Brabant to rule over Mechelen. Over the years the castle was expanded with the addition of a drawbridge, tower, moat, additional grounds and meadows. The arrival of the Lord of Corbais, Jan Cools, at the castle in 1622 saw it take on a more residential function. In 1635, the world-famous painter then bought the castle to live, where he resided with his second wife, Helena Fourment. He redesigned the entire castle in a Flemish Renaissance style and had his coat of arms engraved above the fireplace in the living room. Since then the castle has been known as Rubens Kasteel. The painter produced some of his most celebrated works in and around the castle, and the castle itself was also subject of several of his paintings.

Caption:
(Image Source: Engel & Völkers Mechelen)