The Valkentoren or Falcon Tower is actually a remnant of the 16th-century gateway and defense wall of the original castle of Schoten, a town near the city of Antwerp. In 1750 the other buildings and walls surrounding it were broken down. The tower itself was spared from demolition because it was at that moment used as a dovecote, a typical Belgian occupation. If the tower was ever used to house falcons, like it name would suspect is very unclear.
 |
| Picture by Harry Fabel |
A remarkable fact is that the tower has a oxen reddish color. It was not painted in the color but scolded. This is a special technique in which a transparent lime layer is applied to protect the brick layer underneath it. So the tower really has that color. The original tower however had no pointed roof, which was added later.
 |
| Picture by Harry Fabel |
The tower was recently restored and you can find it in the castle park. That park is owned by the town of Schoten and is open to the public. Very near to the tower you can find the castle itself, which has some rebuilds over time and does not really look like the original castle. That way the falcon tower looks a bit odd standing next to it.