Wittem Castle

Wittem Castle, locally known as Kasteel Wittem, lies in the village of the same name, in the province of Limburg in the Netherlands.

Wittem Castle was first mentioned in the early 12th century as Witham and Witheim. It was situated in the swampy valley of the Geul stream. At that time, it probably consisted of just a simple tower house.

In the next century, the castle was owned by the knights of Julémont. They started to call themselves Lords of Wittem. A title that was assumed by later owners. During their ownership in 1286, Reinoud, Count of Guelders, tried in vain to take the castle by surprise. In the early 15th century, the castle was considerably enlarged until it consisted of a powerful stronghold with 7 towers and two moats spanned by bridges. Every bridge was equipped with a gate building.

The following successive owners of the castle were the knights of the Van Scavendriesch family and the Van Cosselaer family.

In 1466, the castle was sold to Diederik van Pallant. In 1520, Emperor Charles V elevated Wittem to a Barony, probably as a reward for his sojourn at the castle on his journey to Aachen for his coronation.

At the beginning of the 80-Years War, Wittem Castle was confiscated by the Spanish under the Duke of Alva. His troops were expelled in 1568 by the mercenary troops of William the Silent, Prince of Orange. Next, William left for Maastricht to also free that city from the Spanish. When he didn't succeed, he returned to Wittem Castle only to find it again taken by Spanish troops. Yet again, he drove them out. In 1569, the Spanish returned again, after which they destroyed the castle.

The castle was restored and enlarged in 1611, with compensation money for the war damages, by the Van Pallant family. In 1639, ownership of the castle transferred to the Counts of Waldeck-Pyrmont. In 1678, they again had to restore the damage done to the castle, this time by French troops garrisoned in Maastricht.

In 1714, Count Ferdinand von Plettenberg became the last noble owner of the castle. When he came to the castle, it was already in a dilapidated state. In 1794, after the French Revolution, the ruinous castle was taken from the count and sold to Simon Merckenbach. His family restored the castle to its present state and made it habitable again.

In 1958, the castle was sold and became a restaurant, which closed in 2025.

The present building is just a small part of the former medieval castle. It consists of a round corner tower with two wings. In the farm buildings belonging to the castle are also parts of the remaining medieval walls. It can not be visited.

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