There are numerous castles in Gelderland, which is the largest region in the middle east part of The Netherlands. Gelderland is famous for its beautiful, varied landscapes that range from forests, rivers, lakes, desert-like area, and small mountain. Some of its cities are located along the River Rhine which make them a strategic area for settlements during the Roman period. Many of the castles in Gelderland are surrounded by waters and are still preserved with some renovations involved. I made this blog in case you are looking for castles to visit in Gelderland for a day-out trip with family, friends, or alone.

Lists of castles in Gelderland

1. Doorweth castle

Doorwerth castle is a medieval castle built along the River Rhine in Arnhem. This castle was built in 1260, according to its first mention in the book, and is surrounded by a moat (deep water channel), whose water come from River Rhine, to serve as a preliminary line of defence. Doorwerth castle went through several renovations and enlargement until its reached its current appearance in 1560. During World War II, this castle suffered from heavy bombing and was renovated, which lasted until 1983. Nowadays, the castle is open for public visit (with organised English tour that can be arranged by appointment). There is also a restaurant in the courtyard, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee, thee, lunch or a drink. If interested to know more about this castle, you can check out this link.

2. Doornenburg castle

Doornenburg castle is another medieval 13th century castle in Gelderland. This castle is situated in a picturesque greenery of Doornenburg and is surrounded by moat, similar to many castles in The Netherlands. This castle started as a manor during the 13th century and was transformed into the castle only in the 15th century. It has sleeping chambers, a chapel and a farm. During World War II, this castle was completely blown and its renovation took 20 years. Nowadays, the castle serves as a venue for weddings, concerts, and children events. There are various children activities to do when in Doornenburg castle such as watching the Middle Ages Knight shows demonstrating the Battle of Doornenburg, riding wooden horse in the courtyard, playing in the playground in the vicinity of the castle, or touring around the castle. For more details, check my blog in this link.

3. Het Loo Palace (Paleis het Loo)

As compared to the first two castles, Het Loo Palace is a relatively bigger palace located in Apeldoorn Netherlands. This castle is built between 16-84 and 1686 by the House of Orange-Nassau, which is the family line of the present royal family of The Netherlands. This castle has a Dutch Baroque style architecture with courtyard and a garden, resembling the style of Chateau de Versailles in Paris. Het Loo Palace was once a summer residence of the royal family, in fact Princess Margriet lived there until 1975. But nowadays, it became a state museum and has been open for public visitors for visit. To get your ticket and book your visit, you can go to the website of Paleis het Loo via this link.

4. Hoekelum castle

Hoekelum Castle is a fortified Middle Ages castle in Gelderland, located between in the area between Bennekom and Ede. The existence of this castle can be traced back in 1325. It was 2000 hectares back then. The Duke of Gelre gave the estate as a loan to hunting master Randolf de Jeger in 1396. The castle was then bought by Hendrik van Poelwijck in the sixteenth century. The Hoekelum castle is now a venue for weddings and important events or meetings. 

5. Loevestein Castle

The Loevestein Castle is one of the most beautiful and most visited medieval castles in Gelderland (municipality of Zaltbommel) and in The Netherlands. It is also known as a water castle because it is surrounded by an inner layer moat, and an outer layer moat where the river Maas and Waal meet. In the beginning, this place is used for collecting toll for vessels using the river during the 14th century. It was then expanded and turned into a fortress in the 16th century. During the 80 years war between The Netherlands and Spain, the ruling of this castle changed twice between the Dutch and Spanish. From 1619, this castle became a political prison. Some high profile prisoners in this castle include Hugo de Groot (father of modern international law) and George Ayscue (an English vice-admiral). To plan your visit, check the website of Loevestein Castle.