1677: Patrician house, Wesel (Brückstraße)

Address: Breite Brückstraße 260 (later renumbered to Brückstraße 14) in WeselOpen: Destroyed.Parking: irrelevantHow to get there by public transport: You can’t. It’s been destroyed.How good was it? A single, striking panel, destroyed on Kristallnacht in 1938 This is a late addition to my collection of … Continue reading

1659: Beaulieu Castle, Machelen

Address: Woluwelaan 100, 1830 Machelen (but acccess via Pieter Schroonstraat)Co-ordinates: 50.90369, 4.42752Open: by special arrangement onlyParking: on Pieter SchroonstraatHow to get there by public transport: 15 mins walk from Buda metro station; 282 bus, which runs between Diegem and Vilvoorde … Continue reading

1671: Schoonhoven Castle, Aarschot

Address: Diestsesteenweg 10, 3200 AarschotCo-ordinates: 50.98258, 4.85228Distance from central Brussels: 45 kmOpen: By special arrangement onlyParking: Beside the castle, or on the DiestsesteenwegHow to get there by public transport: Buses 35, 390, 392 and 561 will get you there in … Continue reading

1670s: Sint-Maartensdal Priory, Leuven

Address: Sint Maartensstraat, 3000 Leuven.Open?: Destroyed.Parking: irrelevantHow to get there by public transport: You can’t. It’s been destroyed.How good was it? We don’t know. According to Marc Van Vaeck, Hansche created stucco ceiling panels showing Saint Martin and Saint Augustine … Continue reading

1677: “Zum Grossen Kurfürst”, Kleve

Address: originally Kleiner Markt, then destroyed.Open: Destroyed.Parking: IrrelevantHow to get there by public transport: You can’t. It’s been destroyed. Kleve is best known in English history in the name of Henry VIII’s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves (though in fact … Continue reading

1672/1679: Park Abbey, Leuven

Address: Abdij van Park 7, 3001 LeuvenCo-ordinates: 50.86438, 4.71745Distance from central Brussels: 28 kmOpen: 10-5 every day except Monday, open until 9pm on the last Thursday of the monthParking: on siteHow to get there by public transport: Buses 4, 5 … Continue reading

1666-72: Modave castle

Address: Rue du Parc 4, 4577 ModaveWebsite: https://www.modave-castle.be/Co-ordinates: 50.44118, 5.28785Distance from central Brussels: 90 km as the crow fliesOpen: 10h-18h, 1 April-13 November, except Mondays (but open on Mondays which are in July, August or public holidays in opening season)Parking: … Continue reading

1673: Brouwershuis, Gent

Address: Somewhere in GentCo-ordinates: private.Open: It isn’t.Parking: NoneHow to get there by public transport: I have been asked not to say.How good is it? Amazing. Smaller in scale than Modave or Park Abbey, but that makes it all the more … Continue reading

1655: Horst Castle, Sint-Pieters-Rode

Address: Horststraat 28, 3220 HolsbeekCo-ordinates: 50.93357, 4.83206Distance from central Brussels: 37 kmOpen: by special arrangement and on (some) heritage days (first Sunday of every month, Apr-Jul 2023); will be more accessible after planned renovationsWebsite: http://www.kasteelvanhorst.be/Parking: car park on castle groundsHow … Continue reading

1673: Canfyn House, Gent

Address: originally Goudenleeuwplein, Gent; seen in the Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Gent in the 1990s; now in storageOpen: No.How good is it? Five impressive panels. Five panels by Hansche survive from the house of the Canfyn family in the … Continue reading

1668-70 Church of St Nicholas, Perk

Address: Tervuurseweg between #134 and #136, 1820 Steenokkerzeel – PerkCo-ordinates: 50.93346, 4.49754 Distance from central Brussels: 15 kmOpen: 9.30-10.15 on Sunday mornings. It is polite to attend Mass as well before starting to take photos.Parking: on TervuursesteenwegHow to get there by … Continue reading

1672: Patrician house, Wesel (Fischmarkt)

Address: originally Fischmarkt in Wesel, then Kornmarkt, then destroyed.Open: Destroyed.Parking: irrelevantHow to get there by public transport: You can’t. It’s been destroyed.How good was it? It looks like it was really impressive. Wesel, on the Rhine north of Duisburg, is … Continue reading