Kasteel Couthof, Heritage monument in Proven, Belgium.
Kasteel Couthof is a neoclassical castle with thirteen window bays and two and a half stories, defined by its symmetrical facade and slate roof. The estate sits within a landscaped park featuring walking paths, a pond with an iron bridge, and walled gardens designed for fruit cultivation.
This property was built in 1763 by Jean Francois de Sales de Mazeman as a summer residence, though the land has been owned since 1350 by the Van Hoorn family. The construction continued a tradition of noble estates in the region that stretched back centuries.
The castle shows how the nobility lived by combining family life with managing agricultural land on their estate. The connection between the main building and the service structures reveals a lifestyle that blended comfort with working the countryside.
The estate covers a good amount of ground with different areas to explore, from open lawns to quieter spots beneath trees. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes and allow several hours to see the main building and walk through the gardens.
Hidden beneath a neoclassical pavilion lies an underground ice cellar where residents once stored food to keep it cold. This hidden structure reveals how the nobility developed clever solutions for food storage long before modern refrigeration existed.
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