Top 7 Castles around the Lek

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.

Lady Aleida is a statue of Aleid van Holland in Schiedam. The artwork dates from 1991 and was made by Theresia van der Pant, who was born in Schiedam. Aleida was the one who built the swamp settlement, Schiedam, into a city with walls and city rights in the thirteenth century. The bronze statue, placed on a marble slab, shows Aleida dressed in a long robe with a headdress that is tied with a band under the chin. The statue has been on the Broersvest in Schiedam since 1998 at the ruins of Huis te Riviere castle that Aleid van Holland founded in 1262. Before that, the statue stood for a long time on the square in front of the Stedelijk Museum.

Amalia, Countess van Nieuwenaar and Hendrik van Brederode cannot enjoy Amaliastein for long. In 1567 Hendrik had to flee from the Spanish troops because of his role as 'Great Geus' in the resistance against Spanish rule. On 3 May of that year, Spanish troops invade Vianen. All possessions of Hendrik van Brederode are forfeited. After the pacification of Ghent in 1576, the Brederodes regained their possessions. Hendrik has already died in Germany by then and his wife also continues to live in Germany until her death. In the 17th century, Johan Wolfert van Brederode renovated Amaliastein, but just like Batestein Castle, it soon fell into disrepair. After some changes of ownership, the building was demolished in 1814. Source: visitlekenlinge.nl

Noise pollution and waste: these are well-known problems in Dutch cities in the 16th century. Especially in the summer months there is an odor nuisance caused by the waste on the street. Rich people therefore build summer residences, country estates or pleasure gardens, where they can escape the city during the warm summers. In 1560 Hendrik van Brederode also built a summer residence for his wife Amalia, Countess van Nieuwenaar. He names the castle in the Viaan forest, Amaliastein, after her. With a strategic location at the transition of high and low-lying land, the supply and discharge of water in the castle moat can be easily regulated. Source: visitlekenlinge.nl

Visitors Fort Honswijk, located on the river Lek, is one of the leading forts of the New Dutch Waterline. The tower of Fort Honswijk (built between 1841 and 1848) is the oldest and largest of the New Dutch Waterline and is of special architectural beauty. The function of Fort Honswijk was to prevent the enemy from crossing the Lekdijk and to seal off the Lek in cooperation with Fort Everdingen located on the other side of the river. Fort Honswijk is part of the Defense Line of Honswijk on the Island of Schalkwijk. Here you can walk, cycle or canoe through the historic, particularly well-preserved waterline landscape. You will pass forts, defenses, an inundation channel and open fire fields. The highlight is Fort Honswijk, where the largest tower fortress of the waterline is of special architectural beauty. Since October 26, 2016, the municipality of Houten has owned Fort Honswijk. With this ownership, the municipality wants to enable a beautiful and appropriate future for this national monument and icon of the New Dutch Waterline. Click here for a drone film of Fort Honswijk. The Fort site (not the buildings!) is permanently open to the public between sunrise and sunset. It is possible (via self-service) to drink a cup of coffee or tea at Fort Honswijk. You can also use the toilet. There is a permanent photo exhibition on the fortress grounds. Through 22 canvases you will travel along the forts and (inundation) works of the New Dutch Waterline in Houten, Vianen and Culemborg. A fun and educational treasure hunt is available for children on the fort. The treasure hunt can also be downloaded via this link. There are regular guided tours of the buildings on the Fort Honswijk site. For more information, dates and registration for guided tours, go to http://www.forten-honswijk-everdingen.nl/ Visiting address: Lekdijk 58, 3998NJ, Schalkwijk

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.