A brick masterpiece

The absolute masterpiece in our collection does not have a collection number and doesn’t fit into a depot. We leave it outside come rain or shine. Even though it is more than 700 years old. Naturally, we are referring to the castle itself. An icon. Ask a child to draw a castle and it will look like Muiderslot. Around 1285, Count Floris V acquired a fortress overlooking the mouth of the Vecht river. He had the fortress modernized. This is how Muiderslot castle came into being: a square castle with four corner towers, a large inner courtyard, and a moat. Floris did not foresee that he had bought his own prison. He was imprisoned in the castle in 1296, shortly before being murdered near Muiderberg. The castle was demolished after his death, only to be rebuilt from 1363 onwards. It slowly gained its current shape. High walls, towers, and two residential wings were built on top of the remains of the 13th century walls. Initially these had thatched roofs, which were quickly replaced by slate roofing. Despite conversions and restorations, the castle largely retained its 14th century through the centuries, making it one of the oldest and best preserved castles in the Netherlands.

 

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The Castle