Top 20 Castles around Selfkant

The driveway to Terborgh Castle leads visitors along a stately path into the Geleenbeek Valley. Flanked by tall trees and bordered by greenery, the avenue emphasizes the historic allure of the castle that has dominated the valley since the Middle Ages. As the cobblestones or gravel crunch underfoot or underfoot, the silhouette of the castle and its outbuildings unfolds at the end of the avenue. The driveway not only provides access to the castle but also an atmospheric transition from the village and countryside to the tranquil world around Terborgh.

Text board: In het TROOR van de BOKKERIJDERS Terborgh Castle Terborgh Castle, probably one of the oldest castle grounds in the province of Limburg, formed one of the new centres of power in the region from the Eleventh Century onwards. The lordship of Schingen had the high jurisdiction and therefore handled criminal cases itself. The court of aldermen was located in the castle, where a large number of gang members were interrogated, tortured and sentenced. The castle dungeons, where the accomplices of the Gangs of the Bokkerijders were locked up, are still located to the right under the entrance gate. Due to a lack of sufficient prison space, Joannes Catsbergh jr., alias Henske va Nagelbeck, was locked up in the great hall of the castle. Despite the heavy block on his body, he managed to move to the adjacent chapel and walked on ecclesiastical immunity, hoping to escape death in this way. However, this immunity was not granted to him. On January 28, 1751, Geerlingh Daniëls from Wolfhagen died here in the castle dungeon, regarded by the judiciary as one of the leaders of the gangs during the first and second periods.

delicious food great terrace

Here is a driveway with old trees or a bridge over the water before you reach the building in the courtyard

In the inner courtyard there is a fine brasserie, very suitable for a break.

During the Eighty Years' War, the original village of Stevensweert was expanded into a fortified town by the Spanish in 1633. An earthen wall with seven bastions and five ravelins was built. Part of Stevensweert is under town protection. The fortifications can still be seen in the city's unique street pattern. Be sure to take a look at the Stevensweert-Ohé en laak regional museum. In 2007, the reconstruction of a small part of the fortifications began based on historical maps of a bastion, a rave line and the associated north side of Stevensweert.

Today's Stevensweert arose in the early Middle Ages on an island in the Meuse, with the eastern branch being the Old Meuse. This domain initially belonged to the County of Loon and since 1243 to the Oberg. From 1253 it belonged to the Ambt Montfort. In 1543 Obergelre came to the Habsburg Monarchy and thus became Spanish Obergelr. The late Gothic sculptor Jan van Steffeswert was probably born here at the end of the 15th century. The original village was converted into a fortress town in 1633 by the Spanish general Francisco de Moncada. An earthen wall with seven bastions and five rave lines was built around the place. In 1702, Stevensweert was besieged by the states, causing severe damage to the castle and the fortress becoming state property. From 1716 Stevensweert finally came into state hands and belonged to Staatsober-Gelre. Stevensweert has retained its heptagonal perimeter and geometric street pattern to this day. The original fortification wall was destroyed in 1874. In 1882 the island bridge was built over the Oude Maas, connecting the island to the mainland. In 1922 the Roermond - Sittard tram line was completed and Stevensweert received a tram stop. Five trams ran in both directions every day and a journey to Roermond station took 24 minutes. In 1937 the tram line was broken up and bus services took over passenger transport. With the construction of the Juliana Canal (1925-1934), Stevensweert was again on an elongated island, which was only connected to the shore by a few bridges and therefore always still had a more or less isolated situation. After the Second World War, gravel extraction was added, which created a number of puddles. In 2007, the reconstruction of a small part of the fortifications began based on historical maps of a bastion, a rave line and the associated north side of Stevensweert.

The fortified town of Stevensweert has everything to be counted among the most beautiful villages in Limburg: history, beauty, atmosphere and located in a beautiful part of the Netherlands. The biggest attraction of Stevensweert is the village center itself. This is one of the most picturesque villages you will find in Limburg. Specific buildings worth mentioning are the former town hall, which now houses the Streekmuseum Stevensweert/Ohé en Laak, the eighteenth-century St. Stephen's Church and the striking former Reformed Church. This monumental building now serves as a wedding location and a place where events are organized, such as concerts.