The current castle date to 1180 and was built by Philip of Alsace (1143-1191) on the site of the older fortification. It may have been inspired by crusade castles witnessed by Philip on the Second Crusade. As well a protective citadel, the castle was intended to intimidate the burghers of Ghent who often challenged the Counts' authority.

Take a minute to sit back and relax with a SlowTV tour around the castle. In just 41 minutes, you will see the castle from the outside to the inside and you won’t even have to leave your PC or mobile device.

As one of the most well known castles in the area, it was also the centerpiece of the Ghent World Fair of 1913, according to Wikipedia. The Castle of Counts is open to the public with a regular tour schedule that will meet your needs if you’d like to visit yourself one day.