Castles and fortifications in Netherlands
Limbricht Castle
Limbricht Castle originates from the 10th century. It was first a motte castle with a wooden tower. The stone buildings were erected around 1250. During the 80 years war the army of Duke of Parma looted the castle (1579). During the Napoleon wars it was a military hospital (1813-1814) and during the World War I an internment camp for German prisoners-of-war. The current castle building dates from the early 1600s and is bu ...
Founded: 1250 |
Location:
Limbricht, Netherlands
Heeze Castle
Heeze Castle used to be the centre of the seigneury of Heeze, Leende and Zesgehuchten, part of the Duchy of Brabant. In the Middle Ages, it was owned by the de Horne family. In the seventeenth Century Pieter Post designed a new castle, of which the first part was built in 1665. Pieter Post had died and the work was completed by his son Maurits Post. Due to the rising costs of importing all building materials from other r ...
Founded: 1665 |
Location:
Heeze, Netherlands
Twickel Castle
Twickel Castle was between 1347-1953 in the possession of members of the same family: Van Twickelo, Van Raesfelt, Van Wassenaer Obdam and Van Heeckeren van Wassenaer.
Founded: 14th century |
Location:
Delden, Netherlands
Geldrop Castle
The first owners of the Geldrop castle were Jan and Philip van Geldrop, who probably built it in 1350. The following century the castle remained in the Van Geldrop family. The construction of the present day castle was started in 1616, when Amandus I van Horne had the middle facade built. There is still a door post in the castle that reminds us of him. It holds the coats of arms of this illustrous family. In 1768 the hei ...
Founded: 1616 |
Location:
Geldrop, Netherlands
Rosendael Castle
Around 1300, Rosendael Castle came into the hands of the counts and later dukes of Gelre. Of the 20 castles in the dukedom, Rosendael was the favourite of many dukes, because of its beautiful location on the edge of the Veluwe moraine. The large medieval complex contained a forecourt, a main fortress and a substantial donjon. Only the round donjon has survived the ravages of time. It has walls of up to 4 metres thick and ...
Founded: c. 1300 |
Location:
Rozendaal, Netherlands
Ammersoyen Castle
Ammersoyen castle was originally built in 1350 by Dirk van Herlaer along the river Maas. Ammersoyen was a unique castle as it was built using a fixed plan, which was unlike other castles built during this era. The design included four wings that were constructed around a center court. Each corner had its own heavy tower for extra protection. The castle included a gatehouse and was originally surrounded by a moat. At the t ...
Founded: 1350s |
Location:
Ammerzoden, Netherlands
Keverberg Castle
Keverberg castle was built originally in the 9th century castle, today only ruins are left. The castle is used as a wedding location and for events and concerts.
Founded: 9th century AD |
Location:
Kessel, Netherlands
Bouvigne Castle
Bouvigne Castle origins are not known. It appears in official documents for the first time in 1554, in the testament Jacob van Brecht. Here it is described as a stately stone building surrounded by water. Over time the castle has been extended. It began as a stone house to which a tower was added (between 1554 and 1611). Over the following three years further modifications were made to the building and the tower extended ...
Founded: 15th century |
Location:
Breda, Netherlands
Fort Rhijnauwen
Fort Rhijnauwen was built between 1868 and 1875 as part of the New Dutch Water Defence Line. Because of its architectural style and good state of preservation, the fort is historically unique. Due it was closed to the general public for years it became a paradise for many endangered plants and animals. There are also weasels, foxes, roe, grass snakes and many varieties of butterflies. In winter, hundreds of bats hibernate ...
Founded: 1868-1875 |
Location:
Utrecht, Netherlands
Doornenburg Castle
Originally the Doornenburg castle was a fortified manor built in the 9th century, under the name Villa Dorenburc. In the 13th century it was converted into a modest castle. Through the centuries the castle was expanded further into the current form. The front-castle was built in the 15th century. The front-castle contains sleeping quarters, a chapeland a farm, the last being a unique feature for a Dutch castle. It is one ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Doornenburg, Netherlands
Vorden Castle
Vorden castle was mentioned first time in 1315. In 1580 it was looted in the Eighty Years War. It was left to decay after the Second World War until restoration took place in 1976.
Founded: 1315 |
Location:
Vorden, Netherlands
Gunterstein Castle
Gunterstein is a castle in Breukelen, on the river Vecht, that was the former home of the rich Dutch widow Magdalena Poulle (1626–1699). She bought the property and associated title after the former castle and stronghold was destroyed by the French in the rampjaar 1672. Gunterstein castle was built in 1681 on the foundations of an earlier castle, by the architect Adriaan Dortsman (who also designed the new Lutheran ...
Founded: 1681 |
Location:
Breukelen, Netherlands
Westhove Castle
Westhove Castle was probably built in the beginning of the 13th century. It consisted of a moated castle and bailey separated by a moat. The bailey had three entrances and two round towers. The castle itself also had two towers. The castle and the surrounding lands became the property of the Abbey of Middelburg in 1277. It served as the summer residence of the abbots. Around 1560 the castle"s west side was extended. ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Oostkapelle, Netherlands
Menkemaborg
The Menkemaborg was originally brick-built castle house built in the 14th century. It was dramatically altered around 1700 but has since been barely changed. The Alberda family, the 18th-century occupants, commissioned artists to decorate the interior with impressive chimney-pieces carved with baroque ornaments, and paintings of mythological scenes. A four-poster bed, draped with yellow silk damask from China, has also be ...
Founded: 14th century |
Location:
Uithuizen, Netherlands
Ruurlo Castle
The history of Ruurlo Castle is inextricable from the history of the noble Van Heeckeren family, who managed the castle and the estate from the beginning of the 15th century through to 1977. Since 2012, and thanks to the dedication of local patronHans Melchers, this impressive castle has been given a new lease of life as a museum. Ruurlo Castle is of a venerable age, appearing in archives from as early as the 14th centur ...
Founded: 14th century |
Location:
Ruurlo, Netherlands
Hernen Castle
The origins of Hernen lie to the west of the present castle, next to the river Elst. That is where the first motte castle of Hernen was sited, and remained in use until the 12th/13th century. This was possibly also the fortress of the Lords of Hernen, who first appear in the records in 1247. The lord received income through taxes and special privileges, such as the milling rights. This income enabled him to extend his cas ...
Founded: 14th century |
Location:
Hernen, Netherlands
Slangenburg Castle
Slangenburg Castle was constructed in the Late Medieval period. In the 17th century the castle became the property of General Frederik Johan van Baer, also known as General Slangenburg, who rebuilt it for residential purposes. The last private owners were a German family called Passmann, who are buried in a private cemetery next to the moat. After the World War II all German properties were confiscated by the Dutch gover ...
Founded: 1354 |
Location:
Doetinchem, Netherlands
Dussen Castle
Although the official date of the Dussen castle’s establishment was during the 13th century, there was likely a fortified house on the property long before the present-day castle. The castle’s dungeon was built in 1330 by John VI of Heusden and in 1387, permission was granted to extend the modest keep into a real castle. In 1418, the castle was passed down to Arent’s son. Just three years later, the castle would be ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Dussen, Netherlands
Fort Ruigenhoek
Fort Ruigenhoek was built between 1869-1870 as part of the so-called Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie(The 'New Dutch Water Line') to defend the cities of the western Netherlands from overland attack.
Founded: 1869-1870 |
Location:
Utrecht, Netherlands
Middachten Castle
Middachten Castle was first time mentioned in 1190, owned by Jacobus de Mithdac. Early in the 14th century Everardus van Steenre transferred its ownership to Reinald, count of Gelre. Everardus then got the castle back as a loan in 1357. The castle would remain with this family until 1625. During this time the castle was destroyed and rebuild several times. In 1673 Stadtholder William III conquered the city of Bonn, making ...
Founded: 1693-1698 |
Location:
De Steeg, Netherlands