Born Castle

Born Castle, locally known as Kasteel Born, lies in the town of Born, in the province of Limburg in the Netherlands.

Born Castle was first mentioned in 1154. How that castle looked is unknown. It was then the seat of the Van Born family. They sold it in 1321 to the Van Valkenburg family. In 1400 the castle and its land were sold to Willem III, Duke of Gulik and Guelders, during which a thorough inventory was made up. In 1538 this castle was dismantled. Its stones were used to strengthen the city walls of Sittard. What remained was destroyed in 1542 by the troops of René van Châlon, Prince of Orange.

In 1662 the remains of Born Castle were bought by Jan Arnoldt de Leerodt. He then ordered the construction of the present Born Castle, which was finished in 1666. In 1813 the castle was sold to a merchant from Maastricht; Mathieu de Gillissen. He became the first owner who didn't belong to the nobility. Later on it became the property of the Van Roosteren family.

From 1906 till 1930 several restorations were carried out. In 1930, however, the castle was destroyed by a large fire and was never rebuilt. In 1937 some demolition works were carried out, to make the ruin safer. Its owners sold the remains of Born Castle to the municipality of Born in 1955.

The castle was consolidated during the 2000s. The buildings on the bailey are now used as offices. The ruin of Born Castle is now wedged between the bailey on one side and a small zoo, which was originally the castle park, on the other.

You can see Born Castle from the bailey, which can be accessed from the side. The castle ruin itself can not be accessed, or maybe only during heritage days, I don't know. The castle can also be seen from the terrain of the zoo, but they charge a hefty entrance fee. A beautiful ruin.

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