Coloma Castle

The origins of Coloma Castle date back to 1515, when Leonard van Hecke had the estate built. It was initially known as “Goed van Hecke”. In 1611, it changed hands when Joos van Hecke sold it to the Spanish noble family Arguello. After further changes of ownership, it came into the possession of Karel Laurin in 1643. Through the marriage of his eldest daughter Anna to a knight de Varick and the subsequent inheritance by her son-in-law Jean-Charles Roose, who was appointed the first Baron of Sint-Pieters-Leeuw in 1690, the castle became the residence of the Barons. It owes its current name to Charles Vital Alexandre Coloma, a chamberlain to Empress Maria Theresia, who lived here in the 18th century. Subsequently, through marriage and inheritance, the castle passed to the Counts van der Dilft and later to the Counts van Limburg-Stirum. The last Baron rented out the uninhabited castle, which was leased by the Belgian state from 1974 and made accessible to the public. After this collaboration ended in 1980 and the castle fell into disrepair, the municipality of Sint-Pieters-Leeuw acquired the estate in 1987. After renovations, it was reopened as a cultural center in 1992.

Today, Coloma Castle houses a cultural center. The brick building with its four corner towers and hipped roof is accessible via a four-arch bridge and presents itself as a moated castle. Part of the former 17th-century coach house has been preserved and is used as a restaurant.