For almost a thousand years, Valkenburg Castle has defined the face of this medieval town. Around 1115 a castle was built along the trade route between Maastricht and Cologne.
With its strategic location on top of the Heunsberg, Valkenburg Castle looks like an impregnable fortress. Yet the castle's story is one of siege, occupation and destruction. Interspersed with times of prosperity, this resulted in a number of construction phases of the castle.
Disaster year 1672 proves fatal for Valkenburg Castle. The castle was blown up not by the enemy, but by the 'own' troops of the State, so that it did not fall into the hands of the French.
Since then only a ruin has remained, which was further damaged over the centuries due to lack of maintenance and as a source of marlstone for other buildings.
What remains are wall sections from the 12th to the 16th century (Knight's Hall, armory, chapel), the Dwingel (a fortified road) and the underground tunnel system under the castle ruins, part of which was created by marl mining and part was created as an escape - or assault course.
Today, Valkenburg Castle is the Netherlands' only height castle and one of Valkenburg's most popular attractions.
