Valkenburg Castle
| Castle of Valkenburg | |
|---|---|
| Valkenburg, the Netherlands | |
 Ruined castle of Valkenburg | |
  Castle of Valkenburg | |
| Coordinates | 50°51′43″N 5°49′52″E / 50.862°N 5.831°E |
| Type | Castle |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Foundation Velvet caves and Castle ruins Valkenburg |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Ruine |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1115, 14th century |
| Built by | Lord van Suilen en Anholt |
| Materials | Dutch Marlstone (mergel) and wood. |
| Demolished | 1122 & 1672 |
Valkenburg Castle is a ruined castle in Valkenburg aan de Geul, Netherlands. It is unique in the Netherlands by being the only castle in the country built on a Hill. The castle is listed in the top hundred of Dutch cultural monuments.
History
In the year 1115, fortifications were erected at the site by Gosewijn I, Lord of Valkenburg. This original wooden keep survived until 1122 when it was destroyed under siege by Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor. The castle was rebuilt in the following centuries but was again destroyed in a siege, this time by Jan III, Duke of Brabant. The current ruins are those of the castle rebuilt in the 14th century.
The castle suffered heavily in the Dutch Spanish war as it wasn't built to withstand the new heavy duty canons and mortars. The Spanish armies severly crippled the defensive walls of Valkenburg and left the castle in a far state of disrepair with its magnificent towers now collapsed and its roofs burned to ashes. The Dutch armies attempted to repair the castle but were unsuccesfull due to the ongoing wars with the Spanjards and the French.
The castle was blown up during the Franco-Dutch War, in 1672, by the army of King-Stadtholder Willem III to prevent it falling into French hands.
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knights hall
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Castle Valkenburg
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Castle Valkenburg
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Castle Valkenburg
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See also
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Dutch Rijksmonument 36769 |
References
- Kransber, D. & H. Mils, Kastelengids van Nederland, middeleeuwen, Bussem 1979 (ISBN 90 228 3856 0)
- Kalkwiek, K.A., A.I.J.M. Schellart, H.P.H. Jansen & P.W. Geudeke, Atlas van de Nederlandse kastelen, Alphen aan den Rijn 1980 (ISBN 90 218 2477 9)
- Helsdingen, H.W. van, Gids voor de Nederlandse kastelen en buitenplaatsen, Amsterdam 1966
- Tromp, H.M.J., Kijk op kastelen Amsterdam 1979 (ISBN 90 10 02446 6)
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Valkenburg Castle. |