Netherlands > Waking up in a Castle

Netherlands - The hall of Sterkenburg Castle

We both slept very well in our tower room in the castle. We had no trouble with ghosts or spirits. Joris had warned us that it might take a while before the hot water was available. "Let the tap run for a few minutes," he advised. This advice was not without reason. Normally, I would have given up, but after some time, the hot water found its way to the tower room. In a corner of the round room is a small bathroom. A washbasin and a shower cabin, separated by a kind of folding screen. On the ground floor, breakfast is ready. Joris comes by to ask if we slept well. Here we also meet the other castle guests. In total, four rooms were occupied last night. Not all rooms are in the tower; most are in the main house. Before the corona pandemic, guests also stayed in the Coach House, Joris explains. This coach house is now mostly used by the residents themselves. You would almost forget that the castle is still inhabited. While we enjoy a delicious breakfast, the owner also stops by. He is curious about how our night was as well. Yesterday, he told us he would be going to the Amsterdam ArenA for the first time with a friend. Luckily for him, Ajax won. In front of the castle, we say goodbye to the owner and host Joris. We thank them for the hospitality and the great experience. We set off to our last castle of our "Castle Weekend." Just north of Utrecht lies Castle Oud Zuilen. Slot Zuylen is one of the oldest castles along the Vecht River. The castle was built on commission from the Van Zuylen family.

Netherlands - The castle OudZuylen

In the fifteenth century, the residential tower was destroyed during an uprising against the then-owner Frank van Borssele. A hundred years later, an imposing castle was rebuilt on the foundation of the ruins. In 1752, Slot Zuylen was drastically renovated. The then-family Van Tuyll van Serooskerken had the left wing added so that the castle acquired a symmetrical shape — a beautiful addition. At that time, the entrance hall was also built. By filling in the moat in front of the building, a large forecourt was created. We walk across the forecourt to the castle entrance. Using an audio tour, we explore the various rooms. Here, too, enthusiastic guides are eager to explain something about the castle. One of them explains that in the seventeenth century, the castle also came into the hands of the Van Reede family through marriage. We also encountered the Van Reedes yesterday as the owners of Castle Amerongen. The castle garden around Slot Zuylen disappoints us a bit. The weeds have taken over. Especially compared to the gardens around Castle Amerongen, this place clearly needs some maintenance. Here we conclude our "Castle Weekend." We get in the car and drive home.