Laarne is situated approximately 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south-east of the major historic city of Ghent which was the capital of the County of Flanders.

Their son, Giselbrecht van Zottegem, outlived his older brothers and became lord of Ressegem, Leeuwergem, Massemen, Laarne and Kalken.

The first traces of the current castle were built in the early 14th century by the knight Gerard van Massemen who constructed a gatehouse with a wooden bridge across a moat.

During the religious troubles - at the time of Frans de Schoutheete who was bailiff of Kortrijk - the castle became “ruyné et bruslé” on 24 July 1579 and was uninhabitable for 10 years.

In those years of the Early Modern period, the domain was extensively renovated and acquired its current appearance: the main entrance was moved to the village; the 150-metre-long avenue to the church was constructed; four pavilions were built in the courtyard of honour.

The voluptuous form of his mother, Hélène Fourment - who remarried the Count of Bergeyck after the death of Rubens - adorned the Palace of Versailles in those days.

The castle was subsequently inherited by Jacques Joseph van Vilsteren and then his sons François, Nicolaes and Théodore, who all died childless.

As a result, the domain came into the hands of Maria-Theresia van Vilsteren, their sister who was married to Libert-François Christijn (1703-1785), a scion of a family of nobles who had acquired an impressive number of lordships and baronies through a well-considered marriage policy, including Ribaucourt in France.

One of his descendants, Robert-Jean Christyn, Count de Ribaucourt (1875-1959), who intended to live there permanently, had it restored by the Leuven architect Pierre Langerock.

But the First World War and the sudden death of his son Maurice (1903-1914) put an end to those plans and the castle gradually became a ruin.

The non-profit organisation Koninklijke Vereniging der Historische Woonsteden en Hoven van België (Royal Association of Historic Residences and Gardens of Belgium) was prepared to take on this considerable task.

The last private owner, Robert-Jean Christyn, Count de Ribaucourt, donated the almost completely ruined castle to the association in 1953, whereupon some urgent works were immediately started.

From 1962 onwards, the new chairman of the association, knight Joseph de Ghellinck d’Elseghem, under the direction of architect Paul Eeckhout, started large-scale works and in 1967 the castle was able to be opened to the public.

De Pessemier 's Gravendries spent several years tracking down and reclaiming all the archive documents and land registers of the Castle of Laarne that were scattered everywhere.