Beersel is perhaps best known for Beersel Castle, built between 1300 and 1310 by Jean II, Duke of Brabant, as a defense for Brussels. Guillaume Dufay, a notable 15th-century Franco-Flemish composer, was likely born in Beersel.[4] In terms of gastronomy, Beersel is known for its boterham met plattekaas en radijzen (sandwich with white cheese and radishes), usually served with a geuze beer, and for its mandjeskaas (literally 'basket cheese'), which is a white cheese stored in little baskets. Beersel also has two traditional, authentic geuze breweries, Oud Beersel and 3 Fonteinen.
