Liedts Park and Castle

After Oudenaarde’s fortifications had been torn down, the vacant grounds were sold. The prominent Liedts family bought the domain on the “Eindries” and laid out a park. Around 1860, Charles Liedts had a whitewashed cottage built in this park, in Neo-classicist style. Charles was an important Belgian jurist and statesman who became a baron after his successful diplomatic negotiations with France had led to a free trade treaty between Belgium and France. As device he chose “All for Duty”.

His son, Amedée Liedts, converted the cottage into the present Liedts Castle in 1883. It is built in an eclectic style with predominant Renaissance characteristics. The building is adorned with cartouches figuring the family device “All for Duty”. The initials of Amedée Liedts can be seen in the window frames. 

Amedée, Charles’s son who remained childless, donated the castle with its library, art collections and valuables along with the park to Oudenaarde in 1907, provided that the borders of the “Park Liedts” would never change and that the allotment gardens would remain. The art collections form an important part of the municipal collections (Amuso, town hall). The park is open to the public and is the town’s green lung.