These ruins consist of the remains of a square fortress, the building of which was begun by William I, Lord of Brederode, in about the year 1282. Roughly ten years later the main castle was completed. For the time, its square plan was very modern. In 1351, during the Hoek and Kabeljauw Quarrel, the castle was successfully besieged by the Hoek Gijsbrecht van Nijenrode. A surrender followed.

Probably the remains of the heavily damaged castle were then demolished. What is certain is that in the middle of the fourteenth century it was rebuilt entirely on its old foundations. After the decline, which followed its being pillaged and set on fire by Spanish troops in 1573.

The ruin was gradually buried beneath sand drifting from the nearby Kennemer dunes. After the death of Wolfert of Brederode in 1679, the castle passed to the counts of Holland.

Later the State of the Netherlands became the owner of the ruin.

In the nineteenth century there was concern about the fate of these remains and consequential the ruins were the first nationally owned monuments to be restored. This was done according to the conception of restoration current at the time.

During these operations, a number of artefacts were found, some of which are on display in the keep.

The interplay of shapes occurring in the ruins has always appealed to the imagination. Countless numbers of people - among them painters such as Mondriaan and Verwey - have visited, drawn and painted these imposing ruins.

Since 1995 the ruins of Brederode have been administered by the 'Castles foundation Holland en Zeeland'.

The Ruins of Brederode 
Velserenderlaan 2, 
2082 LA Santpoort.

Open:

Wednesday until Sunday
between 10.00 and 17.00 hrs

Closed:  November until February

Admission:
Adults € 3,00

children under 13, and 65+  €1,50

Administrators:

dhr. G. Brouwer en mw. A. Dijkstra

More information:

info@kastelenhollandzeeland.nl