Location: 's-Heerenberg, Province of Gelderland Map
Constructed: 13th century by Lord Van den Bergh
Open: May- Dec: 12:30pm- 4:30pm Tue- Sun
Info: Hof Van Bergh 8
Tel. 0314- 661281
Huis Bergh Castle, situated in 's-Heerenberg, Gelderland, Netherlands, stands as one of the largest and most historically significant medieval castles in the country, renowned for its layered evolution from a defensive stronghold to a restored residential museum. Its architecture reflects centuries of construction, adaptation, and restoration, blending elements from the Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance periods while incorporating modern interventions for preservation.
Early Origins and Construction (12th-14th Centuries)
Huis Bergh Castle, also known as Kasteel Huis Bergh, is one of the
largest moated castles in the Netherlands, located in the town of
's-Heerenberg in Gelderland province. Its origins trace back to around
1100 AD, when a wooden tower likely stood on a small islet in a swampy
area, providing a defensive outpost in the border region between the
Netherlands and Germany. By approximately 1200-1240 AD, this was
replaced by a more substantial round tower constructed from tuff stone,
surrounded by a moat, with a separate moated bailey nearby. Both the
tower and bailey were initially fortified with a wooden palisade, which
was upgraded to a circular stone defensive wall before 1300. This early
structure served as the ancestral seat of the Lords of Bergh, a powerful
noble family in the region.
During the 13th century, the main
building was enlarged, solidifying the castle's role as a residence and
fortress. Before 1400, the original round tower was demolished and
rebuilt as a large square keep, enhancing its defensive capabilities. By
1450, significant expansions included the construction of the main
residential building and two of the three towers on the bailey,
transforming it into a more elaborate medieval complex. The castle's
strategic location near the German border made it a key stronghold in
regional power dynamics.
The Renaissance Period and the Eighty
Years' War (15th-16th Centuries)
In the 15th century, the castle
continued to evolve under the Lords of Bergh, who were elevated to
counts. Parts of the structure from the 14th and 15th centuries remain
visible today, reflecting Gothic architectural influences. The 16th
century marked a period of major rebuilding under Count Willem IV van
den Bergh (1537-1586), one of the most prominent figures in the castle's
history. In 1556, he married Maria van Nassau, sister of Prince William
of Orange, linking the Bergh family to the Dutch royal and revolutionary
circles. This alliance played a crucial role during the Eighty Years'
War (1568-1648), a conflict for Dutch independence from Spanish rule.
Count Willem sided with the Dutch rebels led by William of Orange,
leading to his summons before the Spanish Council of Troubles (Council
of Blood) in 1568. He fled to Germany, and his estates, including Huis
Bergh, were confiscated by Spanish forces. The castle endured multiple
sieges and suffered extensive damage during this period. Upon Willem's
return in 1576, the fortress had been partially dismantled, stripping it
of much of its military function. The Bergh counts, including Willem,
were influential in both church and state affairs, underscoring the
castle's importance in Dutch history.
Reconstruction and Decline
(17th-19th Centuries)
The 17th century brought extensive repairs and
modifications to address war damages. Additions included a large
industrial building on the bailey, lowering the inner courtyard by about
2 meters for better drainage and aesthetics, a new stair tower, a grand
staircase, and an additional residential wing. The facade of the main
residential building was plastered white, and the keep was topped with a
spire, giving it a more refined appearance. Extensions from this era,
along with those from the 15th century, contribute to the castle's
layered architectural style.
Tragedy struck in 1735 when a
devastating fire completely destroyed the castle. It was rebuilt, but
without recapturing its former grandeur; the moats were partially filled
in, altering its defensive moated design. By this time, ownership had
shifted: the Van den Bergh line ended with Count Oswald III (1646-1712),
who died childless. In 1708, he named Prince Franz Wilhelm von
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (his sister's grandson) as heir, and the castle
passed to the German Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen family in 1712. Franz
Wilhelm's son, Johann Baptist (1728-1781), inherited it but was
imprisoned for insanity from 1757 to 1781, leading to further neglect.
The Hohenzollerns showed little interest in their Dutch property,
selling off much of the surrounding estate lands. In the late 18th
century, the castle briefly served as a priest seminary, reflecting its
diminished role as a noble residence.
Modern Era: Restoration and
Preservation (20th Century-Present)
By the early 20th century, the
castle had fallen into disrepair. In 1912, Dutch textile industrialist
Jan Herman van Heek (1873-1957) purchased it from Prince Wilhelm August
von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1864-1927), motivated by a passion for
medieval history and art. Van Heek undertook a major restoration,
completed in 1929, to preserve it as a historical monument and nature
reserve. He housed his extensive collection of late-medieval art,
including Italian and Northern European paintings, portraits, medieval
manuscripts, incunables, coins, and sculptures, within the castle.
Another fire in 1939 nearly destroyed the structure again, but most of
the art collection was saved as the Van Heek family was abroad at the
time. Post-fire reconstruction emphasized a medieval aesthetic,
incorporating surviving 18th-century elements like walls and windows,
with minimal interior alterations. In 1946, Van Heek transferred
ownership to the Stichting Huis Bergh (Huis Bergh Foundation) to ensure
long-term protection of the castle, its collections, and the surrounding
woodlands.
Since the 1960s, Huis Bergh has functioned as a museum,
open to the public (though as of early 2026, it is temporarily closed
for renovation). The collections include notable portraits of Dutch
royals and nobles, such as those of the Nassau and Orange-Nassau
families, displayed in dedicated halls. Today, the castle stands as a
testament to Dutch medieval heritage, blending historical architecture
with cultural exhibits, and continues to attract visitors interested in
its rich past.
Architectural Layout and Key Features
The castle presents an
L-shaped complex, encircled by an embankment that provides access to
surrounding wooded grounds known as De Plantage, laid out in the 18th
century. At its core is the square keep, serving as the primary
defensive and symbolic element, with the bailey extending outward to
include residential and utility spaces. The layout integrates a central
inner courtyard—lowered during 17th-century renovations for practical
reasons—with the main residential building positioned along one axis,
featuring a white-plastered facade that contrasts with the darker stone
and brick elements. A great hall forms a focal interior space,
accessible via the main entrance, where remnants of the original
12th-century tuff round tower are embedded in the adjacent wall,
offering a tangible link to the castle's earliest phase. Later
additions, such as the 17th-century stair tower, grand staircase, and
new residential wing, enhance circulation and living quarters, while the
industrial building on the bailey reflects post-war utilitarian
expansions.
Towers
Huis Bergh boasts several towers that
exemplify its defensive heritage. The central square keep, dating from
before 1400 and topped with a 17th-century spire, dominates the
silhouette and originally functioned as the last line of defense. The
bailey includes three towers, two of which were constructed before 1450:
a flat tower and a round tower in the outer bailey. These have been
adapted into modern suites spanning two floors, incorporating spiral
staircases for vertical access, spacious bedrooms and living areas with
sofas and armchairs, kitchenettes, dining spaces, and sun patios
overlooking the woodlands and gardens. The towers' massive walls feature
alcoves, adding to their medieval character, while the round tower
includes a whimsical small drawbridge that raises at night.
Moats
and Defensive Elements
Defensively, the castle was designed around
water barriers, originally situated on an island in a swamp with moats
encircling both the central tower and the separate bailey, providing
dual layers of protection. An inner and outer moat system, augmented by
the circular stone defensive wall rebuilt in the 20th century, enhanced
security. Post-1735 reconstructions partially filled these moats to
adapt the site for non-military use, though remnants contribute to the
picturesque setting.
Materials and Stylistic Influences
Early
phases relied on wood for the initial motte-and-bailey tower,
transitioning to tuff stone—a volcanic rock prized for its
durability—for the 12th-century round tower. Subsequent expansions
predominantly used brick, common in Dutch medieval architecture for its
availability and ease of shaping, particularly in the 14th-17th century
components. Stone was employed for the circular defensive wall, while
the white plaster on the residential facade adds a lighter, more refined
aesthetic influenced by Renaissance trends. The overall style merges
robust Romanesque and Gothic defensive forms with later residential
embellishments, such as the spire and staircase, reflecting the castle's
shift from fortress to noble residence.
The collection is the largest private collection of
early Italian art in the Netherlands, with work by Duccio, Biccie di
Lorenzo and Niccolò di Segna, among others.
In addition to
medieval paintings, including more than eighty Dutch and German
paintings, the collection contains portraits of Burgundians, Habsburgs,
Oranges and Counts Van den Bergh, which Van Heek found in the attic of
the castle. The collection also consists of manuscripts from the
Netherlands, Germany, France and Italy, sculptures, coins and medals and
ivory pieces. Van Heek built up an art history library and the largest
private archive on Gelderland History. His son built up a geological
collection of finds made in the Achterhoek.
Henk van Os, the
former director of the Rijksmuseum and an expert on early Italian art,
is an advisor to Huis Bergh. Henk van Os changed the presentation of the
art collection at the beginning of the 21st century. Visitors used to
come to Huis Bergh mainly for the romance of knighthood and to view the
medieval castle. The art from Northern and Southern Europe hung together
and was not clearly visible. Henk van Os has placed this art in separate
rooms. There is an Italian room and Northern European art hangs in the
throne room. In the stairwell, he has set up a gallery with fifteenth-
and sixteenth-century portraits. Less interesting works of art or
forgeries have been moved to the depot, while important pieces, such as
an early sixteenth-century wooden statue of Mary on the crescent moon,
have been given a prominent place. He provided all works of art with an
explanatory text.
On the occasion of Henk van Os' 70th birthday
in 2008, ten friends wrote articles about the collection. These articles
are bundled in a liber amicorum called Adventures with a collection:
discoveries in the collections of Huis Bergh.
A very special work
is a panel (the archangel Gabriel) from the world famous Maestà by
Duccio. The painting was added to the castle's collection in the 19th
century. The collection also contains several works from the school of
Hieronymus Bosch, including a Wedding at Cana. Huis Bergh also houses an
exceptional collection of medieval manuscripts.
Concerts are regularly given in the castle garden and
in the reception hall.
The Boetselaersborg, a small castle near Huis
Bergh, is one of the castle's possessions.
Just west of Huis Bergh is
the plantation forest.
In 2016, the garden (sometimes referred to as
the 'oldest garden in the Netherlands') was returned to the state it was
in 1727.
Overnight stays have been possible at the castle since 2018,
in the round tower and in the flat tower you can experience what it is
like to sleep in a castle