The first mention of the Tongelaar Castle on this site dates from 1282 when it was dedicated to Count Floris V by Jan van Cuyk. The Van Cuyk family was probably owner of the castle until somewhere in the 15th century when it was owned by the Van Merwick family. In later centuries ownership of the castle passed through several noble Dutch and Belgian families until the 20th century.
The only medieval part of Tongelaar Castle is the square brick tower. This was originally the gate tower and would have been equipped with a drawbridge. The large window would have been the entrance. This tower dates back to the early 15th century. Archeological research proved that there had been a fortified medieval building at the opposite side of the gate tower but that they had not been connected by walls with each other. The tower would have had several living quarters and had a prison below ground level.
All the other present buildings were built in the 18th and 19th century. The western wing was either built on the foundations of an earlier building or built with the use of old building materials.
The tower is now a corner tower of a closed square farm with a simple courtyard.
References:Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.
The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.
Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.