Initial construction 1485 (≈ 1485)
Edited by the Tower family.
1677
Sale after battle
Sale after battle 1677 (≈ 1677)
Louis Alexandre de la Tour gave him away.
1736
New owner
New owner 1736 (≈ 1736)
Joseph Duvet, bourgeois, acquiert.
1790
Joseph Duvet Mayor
Joseph Duvet Mayor 1790 (≈ 1790)
Noordpeene's first mayor.
XXe siècle
Partial destruction
Partial destruction XXe siècle (≈ 2007)
Woodworks burned during the Second War.
2016
Registration MH
Registration MH 2016 (≈ 2016)
Façades, lounge and park protected.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The castle for its facades and roofs and in total the decor of the living room with the canvases of Bafcop, the park with the moat (cad. ZH 72): inscription by decree of 2 February 2016
Key figures
Louis Alexandre de la Tour - Former owner
Sell the castle in 1677.
Joseph Duvet - Owner and Mayor
Acquire the castle in 1736.
Alexis Bafcop - Casselian painter
Author of murals.
Origin and history
The Château de La Tour, located in Noordpeene in the northern department, has its origins in the 15th century. In 1485, the Tower family built this castle on the bases of an older building, destroyed a few years earlier. This monument is one of the oldest in Flanders. The family occupied it until 1677, when Louis Alexandre de la Tour sold it after the Battle of Peene, refusing to become the subject of the King of France Louis XIV. This battle, which contrasts French troops with those of the Netherlands, Spain and England, marks the annexation of Flemish cities such as Valenciennes, Cambrai and Cassel.
In the 18th century, the castle was redesigned and its front façade was standardized, flanked by two square towers. In 1736 Joseph Duvet, a wealthy bourgeois and first mayor of Noordpeene in 1790, became its owner. The 13-metre-wide moat surrounding a seven-hectare park attests to the former defensive function of the site. During World War II, part of the interior woodwork was destroyed by fire while the Germans occupied the site.
The interior decor reflects an aristocratic way of life in the countryside. The show preserves four murals by Alexis Bafcop, the famous Cassel Carnival artist representing the four seasons. The coat of arms of the Tower family are still visible on the balcony of the front façade. In 2016, the castle is listed as a historical monument for its facades, roofs, decor of the living room and its park with moat.
