Horn Castle

Horn Castle, locally known as Kasteel Horn, lies next to the village with the same name, in the province of Limburg in the Netherlands.

Horn Castle is a late type of motte castle, built near to an earlier bed of the river Meuse. The name Horn already appears in the 12th century but the castle itself is certainly not older than the first quarter of the 13th century. The ground plan of Horn Castle shows an irregular oval with 4 projecting round towers and an, also projecting, square gate tower. The ringwall had a wall walk on round arches. In the 13th century this ringwall was raised with a marl ringwall with a second wall walk, build on top of the original ringwall. At the same time almost all the towers and the living quarters were raised.

Probably in the 15th century there was a lot of rebuilding taking place at Horn Castle. The living quarters were extended, which caused the two southern towers to disappear. Also the gate tower was added to the living quarters and a new gate was build next to it. This is now the present gate. Also in the 15th century the Lords of Horn were proclaimed counts.

In the 16th century the castle was owned by the Montmorency family. And in 1568 its then owner, Philips de Montmorency, who was an adherent of William the Silent, was beheaded in Brussels.

After the French era, which saw the destruction of a huge amount of Dutch castles by the French invaders, Horn Castle was nothing more than a ruin. But around 1850 the castle was again made suitable for habitation. Unfortunately most of the lower arches were then broken open and the living quarters were fitted with Neo-Gothic doors and windows. In 1954 the castle underwent a restoration after it was damaged by fire in 1948.

A great castle but privately owned and thus not accessible.

Gallery