Top 4 Castles around Graafstroom

Nothing remains of the castle there. There is only a small island on which the castle stood and a drawbridge. In one place there is an engraved disc, depicting the castle, so that you can get a small idea of what it once looked like.

Huys ten Donck is a monumental country house dating from 1746, located in Ridderkerk, South Holland. It is surrounded by a beautiful 18th-century park in the English landscape style. The house is still privately occupied by descendants of the original family and is occasionally open for tours, events, and weddings. The estate is also popular for walking in the green surroundings.

The castle is still under construction. It began as a sandcastle. According to the "architect/artist," it has evolved over 30 years through many stages of rebuilding and experimentation into what it stands today. It will certainly take another 10 years to complete. He says all the materials are locally sourced. He indicated that he finds a lot of them on the beaches of the floodplains. A life's work that is also sometimes destroyed by both the rising waters at high tide and by vandals. He has therefore pronounced a curse on them. You who harm this castle, you shall weep for your deed. Do not laugh in contempt at this curse. Let your path be dark, the end is lost. You shall burn in the Devil's Evil. During our conversation with him, the architect/artist came across as a remarkable eccentric with a great sense of humor. A remarkable person, so to speak.

In the municipality of Ridderkerk, in the Riederwaard near Slikkeveer, lies the castle ruin of the noble Van Woude family, which held a fiefdom belonging to the count. Construction of the castle began in 1372 but was never completed because the Riederwaard flooded in 1373. The existing walls withstood the flood, but were torn down during the Hook and Cod Wars. During the St. Elizabeth's Flood in 1421, the remains were covered with a layer of clay. The castle measured approximately fifteen by twenty meters. A wall divided the building lengthwise into two naves. There was at least one floor, which likely housed a representative hall. The ground floor resembled a cellar lit by slit windows. Because the rising walls were only 50 to 65 centimeters thick, Huis te Woude likely served residential purposes rather than defense.

Fort Altena was built in 1847 as part of the New Dutch Waterline. Between 1878 and 1880 the fort was strengthened and expanded into a so-called bastion. Nowadays you can enjoy delicious food and drinks in the brasserie of UNESCO heritage Fort Altena in a unique location.

Glory House in Capelle Sloteiland In front of you lies the Sloteiland, which is named after the two castles that stood there. These managed until the territory look called lordship) of Capelle. Here the Lords of Capelle built themselves five houses. Due to the Hoekse Kabeljauwse quarrels (a battle between two groups of nobles), two of them had to be demolished during construction

Fort Altena was built between 1847 and 1850 south of Sleeuwijk. It is located along the old Route Impériale; the Napoleonic highway from Paris to Amsterdam. Fort Altena served as a barrier to the access to Breda-Gorinchem and the Uppelsche Dijk. Later, the fortress was completely rebuilt and enlarged into an elongated fortress. The old tower was extra protected on the south side with bombproof barracks on both sides.

The Donckse Bos is a park that belongs to the house Huys ten Donck in the Dutch municipality of Ridderkerk. The park is located between the Bolnes and Slikkerveer districts in the municipality of Ridderkerk. The park was transformed in the 18th century by the mayor and lord of Ridderkerk Cornelis Groeninx van Zoelen (1740-1791) from a garden in French style to a park in the English landscape park style. In the early 20th century, the landscaper Leonard Springer renovated the park. In the park you can still find trees that date from the period when the park was created. Special are some centuries-old beech, oak, Japanese walnut and plane trees. The area consists of the estate and the nearby outer dike griend. The Huys ten Donck itself has the status of a national monument.