Male Castle, Protected medieval castle in Male district, Bruges, Belgium
Male Castle is a protected medieval fortress in the Male district near Bruges, surrounded by a square moat enclosing the entire structure. The complex includes a 14th-century tower and additional wings that contain residential rooms and a small chapel.
The site began as a hunting lodge in the 12th century built for the Counts of Flanders, but was completely rebuilt around 1390 by Duke Philip the Bold. That reconstruction established the structure that visitors see today with its tower and connected wings.
The place reflects its role as a noble residence through its layout of rooms designed for both daily life and formal occasions. Visitors walking through the site can still sense how its spaces were organized for the family and guests who lived there.
Access to the grounds is through a gate located to the right of the 17th-century Male town hall in the village center. The entrance is easy to locate from the main square and leads directly to the castle grounds.
A network of lead pipes once connected a nearby pond to the city of Damme between 1269 and 1656, supplying drinking water to communities in the area. This system demonstrates the advanced water management techniques that existed in the region during medieval times.
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