The 1310 Kasteel van Beersel is the closest medieval castle to Brussels. From the outside it’s a beauty – the picture-perfect brick towers, rebuilt in 1498, are topped off with 17th-century roofs and rise proudly above a tree-ringed moat. Inside it’s an empty shell; the building was used as a cotton factory in the 19th century.
The castle is handily close to the west Brussels ring motorway (junction 19). By train from Brussels, you'll need to change at Halle, from where services run three times an hour to Beersel station, adjacent to the castle. Halle's interesting historical centre is worth a quick look while you’re in transit.
