Kasteel van Loye, Castle in Lummen, Belgium

Kasteel van Loye is a castle in Lummen built in 1429 around a medieval defence tower, so it shows no single building style: parts are Gothic, parts Maasland Renaissance (1649) and parts Classical (1784). The brick complex has a stepped gable on the lighter right-hand wing and a round-arched doorway at its base. The access bridge is flanked by two upright lions.

The castle was built in 1429 and served as a residence for several noble families. It underwent later renovations that added Renaissance and Classical features.

The castle owes its name to the Loye estate by the Demer. Its best-known resident was Johan Lodewijk van Elderen, prince-bishop of Liège from 1688 to 1694. The families van Horion, Van Elderen, Van der Heyden a Blisia and De Fabribeckers de Cortils et Grâce lived here in turn; the last family still owns the estate.

The castle is private property with limited access, though the chapel can be visited during certain months via designated pathways. Visiting is dependent on opening schedules, so it helps to check conditions beforehand.

The east facade features painted trompe-l'oeil windows that were originally created to avoid historical taxes on window openings. This optical illusion is still visible today and shows how earlier residents used clever tricks to reduce taxes.