Top 20 Castles around Haelen

There was a customs tower here around a thousand years ago. Over the centuries it developed into a castle, initially as a residence for the Counts of Kessel. The events of the war caused considerable damage to the facility in 1944. The ruins were only rebuilt in 2011, but not according to the historical model. With classic shapes combined with modern elements, it was expanded into one of the most modern castle complexes in the Netherlands with upscale gastronomy and a small museum on the upper floor.

It's certainly a matter of taste, but in my opinion the bold combination of old ruins and modern architecture is very successful here. The café inside the building looks very inviting. We were there too early in the day to test out the culinary offerings.

In my opinion, the castle has been rebuilt and restored in an interesting way, even if it doesn't suit my taste.

Imposing building, now privately owned

A beautiful old town on the Maas with a modern renovated castle.

Montfort Castle dates back to 1260 and for centuries was one of the largest castles in the Netherlands. It was built by Hendrik van Gelre on a ridge in the water-rich Vlootbeek valley.

Kessel is an old Maas village with a rich history. In 1869 they found a Roman stone of the gods when they demolished an old church. This stone was dedicated to Minerva, Hercules and Juno. The remains of an old villa have also been excavated in Kessel-Eik. A late Roman iron helmet with a Christ monogram was even discovered in Kessel, which can now be seen in the Center Céramique in Maastricht. They also found a large copper kettle in Kessel, now in the Limburgs Museum in Venlo.

The foundation Behoud Kasteel De Keverberg is the owner of the ruins and has raised five million euros for the restoration of De Keverberg and the design of the associated park. Separate from the old walls, a new section has been built consisting of slender columns on which concrete floors and the roof rest. The new roof covered with slates has been given the shape of the eighteenth-century roof, but instead of the small dormers, large glass windows have been installed. Glass facades are located between the columns. The courtyard has been given a gently sloping glass roof. The new building was opened on 1 October 2015. For the exploitation of De Keverberg, a separate B.V. is being established by the foundation De Keverberg, which is a different foundation than the one mentioned above. On 24 June 2015, a lead coffin with a human remains was found during excavation work in the castle garden. It is assumed that these are the remains of the last baron Van Keverberg, Frits, whose final resting place has been unknown since his death in 1876.