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 John 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 cannons and mortars. The Spanish armies severely 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 unsuccessful due to the ongoing wars with the Spaniards and the French.

The first fortifications at this site were probably built around 1115 by Gosewijn I, Lord of Valkenburg. They consisted of a rectangular keep surrounded by wooden structures. After a few years, in 1122, the castle was largely destroyed after a siege by Emperor Hendrik V.

In the following centuries the castle was rebuilt and enlarged. In 1329 a new siege followed by the Duke of Brabant, Jan III, which destroyed the castle.

And again it was rebuilt. And it are the remains of this castle that we see today. In 1378 the castle became the property of the Duke of Brabant.

After repeated sieges and takeovers, in 1465, 1568 and 1632, an almost total destruction followed in 1672 by the troops of King-Stadtholder Willem III. They blew up the castle to prevent it to fall in the hands of the French troops. The castle fell into decay and was never rebuilt again.

From then on the castle ruin was used as a quarry by the local people. In 1795 the ruin was confiscated by the French troops of Napoleon. In 1797 they sold the ruin to Maximilian, Count of Hoen of Neufchateau, Lord of Schaloen. Until 1919 the Lords of Schaloen kept the castle ruin in their possession. In that year the castle ruin was bought by the Valkenburg Catacomb Foundation. The castle had already become a tourist attraction since 1863. In 1924 the castle became the property of the Valkenburg Castle Foundation.

In 1937, during restorations, workers discovered secret underground passages hewn into the rock beneath the castle. The medieval knights used these passages as escape routes and for breakouts during sieges. The rock consists of marl. The passages gave access to the Velvet Cave. This cave originated due to the mining of marl inside the rock. As a result of ages of mining there is a labyrinth of passages inside the rock. Inside the rock a chapel is hewn, which was used during the French occupation. Also in September 1944 the Velvet Cave was used as a hideout for the people of Valkenburg when the American troops were combating the German troops.

https://www.castles.nl/valkenburg-castle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valkenburg_Castle

Charge

7.50 EUR

0 - 4 years: free

4 - 11 years: 5.50 EUR

- Events and exhibitions

- Lift

- Audiotour

info@kasteelruinevalkenburg.nl

- Ruins of the castle

- Guided tours

https://www.kasteelvalkenburg.nl/en/