Duivenvoorde Castle was first mentioned in 1226, which makes it one of the oldest castles in South Holland
Duivenvoorde Castle was first mentioned in 1226, which makes it one of the oldest castles in South Holland. The castle is remarkable in that it has never been sold, which can be said of very few Dutch castles. It has passed by inheritance through several noble houses, sometimes through the matrilineal line.
Duivenvoorde is a unique and still inhabited castle and estate, with its roots in the 13th century. Once, a large, square defence tower could be found here. The remnants of this tower can still be seen in the facade of the castle and the Voorhuis (front house). In the late Middle Ages, the need for living space grew, so around the tower, which continued to exist until the 17th several wings arose.
Oldest owner
From the Middle Ages, the influential Dutch noble family Van Wassenaer lived in the castle. The oldest known owner - mentioned in the deed of Duivenvoorde of 1226 - was Philips van Wassenaer (listed 1215-1248). It was a noble family of knights, who held important positions at the court.
The Watergeus
Arent VII van Duvenvoirde (1528-1599), the twelfth lord of Duivenvoorde, was one of the most interesting owners. He was one of the noblemen that signed the Petition of the Noblemen in 1566, and was banned from the country. Abroad, he joined the Sea Beggars and got the nickname 'The Watergeus'. His son, Johan van Wassenaer van Duvenvoirde (1577-1645), would later prove to be very important to Duivenvoorde. Johan was a very successful man, and held a number of other influential positions. The great renovation of Duivenvoorde in 1631 was carried out under his authority; he made the then medieval castle into a comfortable country estate.
When Johan died, Duivenvoorde was passed on to his oldest son, Arent VIII van Wassenaer (1610-1681). Thus, Duivenvoorde remained within the male lineage of the Wassenaer family. That is, until Arent IX van Wassenaer (1669-1721) passed away in 1721 and there was no male heir. Through Jacoba Maria van Wassenaer, Duivenvoorde was passed on to the ten-year-old Henriette Jeanne Christine van Neukirchen named Nyvenheim (1807-1849). She would later marry Nicolaas Johan Steengracht (1806-1866), from Zeeland.
Large renovation in 1631
In 1631, under the supervision of Johan van Wassenaer (1577-1645) who was the owner then, the castle extensively renovated and rebuilt, giving way to the current ground plan. The walls and roofs of the central building and the north wing originate from that time. The forecourt was still closed by a crenellated wall with a sandstone gate and a wooden pickup bridge.
Renovation in 1717
The next renovation took place in 1717. Around that time, people preferred architectural symmetry, which is why they made the south wing look almost identical to the north wing. Within the castle a lot was renovated and modernised as well. The state room of the castle, the Marotzaal, is from this time. The Louis XIV hall, which was unique for the Netherlands, was presumably designed by court architect Daniel Marot (1661-1752). In the panelling, life-size portraits were made of the successive Van Wassenaer generations who owned the castle..
Later renovations
The subsequent renovations in and around the castle date back to the 19th A terrace with two bridges was built in front of the castle, ceilings were changed, new panelling was applied and the Marotzaal was painted white with gold.
A young lady of the castle
With Henriette as the young lady of the castle and 23rd owner, a new period of growth began for Duivenvoorde. Together with her husband, the rich jonkheer Nicolaas Johan Steengracht from Zeeland, she would come to mean a lot for Duivenvoorde. Both the interior of the castle and the park were given a makeover.
After Henriette and Nicolaas passed away, their son Hendricus Adolphus Steengracht (1836-1912) became the owner of Duivenvoorde. Together with his sister Henriette, he resided in the estate in the summers. Just like his father, he was important to the history of Duivenvoorde. Hendricus Adolphus was unmarried, and after he died, Duivenvoorde was passed on the grandson of his sister Cornelia Maria, who was married to a member of the Schimmelpenninck van der Oye family.
In 1912, Willem Anne Assueer Jacob Schimmelpenninck van der Oye (1889-1957) became the 26th owner of Duivenvoorde. Not long after, he moved in to live there with his younger sister Ludolphine Henriette (1891-1957) They were the first owners that lived in Duivenvoorde all year round, and they did so in a sober way. Up to the sixties of the 20th century, the castle didn't have running water or electricity.
The last lady of the castle
When Willem died unexpectedly in an accident in 1957, his sister Ludolphine Henriette became the 27th owner of Duivenvoorde. Because of high succession charges, she was forced to sell a part of her assets. Finally, she had to decide on the future of Duivenvoorde, and entrusted Duivenvoorde (and its inventory) to a foundation in. After a thorough restoration of the castle, the museum was opened to the public in 1963.
The restoration in 1958-1963
During the last restoration of the castle by architect Elias A. Canneman (1905-1987), Duivenvoorde was returned to the state of 1631 and 1717 - where possible and acceptable. The guiding principle was a pure, technical restoration, without any additions or embellishments. The 19th-century neo-gothic portal, the terrace in front of the house, and some 18th-century elements were retained, but other than that, the building was restored to 'the way it was'.
https://www.kasteelduivenvoorde.nl/the-castle/duivenvoorde/history/
https://www.castlesworld.com/castles/duivenvoorde-castle.php
https://www.kasteelduivenvoorde.nl/the-castle/duivenvoorde/residents/
Free
12.50 EUR
Park: 1.00 EUR
13 - 16 years: 5.00 EUR
5 - 12 years: 3.00 EUR
0 - 4 years: free
10+ per: 12.50 EUR
17.50 EUR (with coffee/tea)
Park: 50.00 EUR
- Free lockers
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