Ringenhof, Protected neoclassical château in Lier, Belgium.

Ringenhof is a two-storey neoclassical château on the banks of the Nete in Lier, built in 1849. Its pale yellow facade has a projecting central section with four smooth Doric columns on a base, framing three round-arched windows with small iron balconies above three rectangular windows. Wings flank the centre, and the lower storey rests on a rusticated base. The 24-hectare estate has ponds, a quarter-circle orangerie and a neoclassical caretaker's house.

The estate was built in 1849 by the Berckmans-Van den Brande family after purchasing land from a pleasure garden owned by the Bogaerts brewing family. This transformation from garden to residential home reflects mid-19th-century aspirations of the wealthy.

The four-column portico with three central windows follows the Petit Trianon at Versailles, the pavilion Louis XV built in the 1760s. The Berckmans family, landowners who also held the old castle of Isschot at Itegem, chose this French model for their 1849 house on the Nete. The entrance uses tall Doric columns.

The estate sits on spacious grounds with multiple ponds and green areas that invite exploration on foot. Wear comfortable shoes to walk around the different sections and enjoy the grounds fully.

Belgian fashion designer Dries Van Noten currently owns and lives at the estate, showing how this classical residence continues to serve modern residential purposes. The combination of heritage protection and active contemporary use makes it a rare example of living heritage.