St. Maartensdijk Castle

St. Maartensdijk Castle was a former castle located in the town of the same name in the province of Zeeland, Netherlands.

The castle probably dates back to the early 14th century. In 1354, it was acquired by Floris of Borselen. His brother Frank significantly enlarged the castle in 1374.

In 1434, the marriage of Frank II of Borselen to Jacqueline, Countess of Holland, took place here. After he died in 1470, the castle passed through several female family members before coming into the possession of the Van Culemborg family. Through inheritance, it later belonged to the Van Egmont family, and in 1551, when Anna van Egmont married William I, the Silent, Prince of Orange, it became part of the future Dutch royal family.

Between 1625 and 1632, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, extensively restored, enlarged, and modernized the castle for residential comfort. However, in the following decades, its maintenance was neglected, leading to dilapidation. By 1695, the main castle had already fallen into ruin, leaving only the bailey in use. Over the subsequent centuries, the entire castle gradually deteriorated until its remains were demolished around 1819.

Today, nothing remains of St. Maartensdijk Castle except for part of the former moat. A private residence now occupies the site.

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