Muiden Castle

Muiden Castle,or Muiderslot, is a Dutch castle dating from the thirteenth century that has served as the set of many Dutch films and television series. The Dutch name Muiderslot comes from the Dutch words muider (meaning “rivermouth”) and slot (meaning “castle”). Due to its proximity to the Dutch capital of Amsterdam, Muiden is among the most visited castles in the Netherlands. It is situated just 9 miles (15 kilometers) south of the capital in the picturesque village of Muiden in the province of North Holland. It was originally constructed to serve a primarily defensive role, particularly as part of a series of fortifications that have historically been used to protect Holland from invaders. Muiden is part of four different water defense lines: the Utrecht Waterline, the Old and New Waterlines, and the Defense Line of Amsterdam, the last of which is a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site known as the Stelling van Amsterdam.

Brief History

The history of Muiden Castle dates back to between 1280 and 1285, when Floris V (1254–1296), the Count of Holland and Zeeland, constructed the first incarnation of the fortress at the mouth of the Vecht River. Primarily built as a stone keep, the castle was never intended to serve as a formal residence. Instead, it was used to protect the valuable trade route along the Vecht that ran from the shallow Zuiderzee Bay to the city of Utrecht. Utrecht was among the most important market towns in the Netherlands, and Floris used Muiden Castle to force merchants to pay a tribute before passing. At the time of the castle’s initial construction, Floris was involved in a series of shifting alliances between various medieval European rulers, including Guy of Dampierre, the Count of Flanders, and King Edward I of England. The strategic location of Muiden along the Vecht made the construction of a protective keep a vital investment to protect his lands while simultaneously providing a valuable source of income. In 1296, Floris was kidnapped by English-backed rebel noblemen during a falcon hunt and briefly held captive at Muiden Castle. However, Floris was a popular ruler, and as news of his kidnapping reached Utrecht, a mob approached the castle. The noblemen holding Floris feared a potential siege of the castle and fled. During their escape, they murdered Floris in panic.

After Floris’s death, Willem van Mechelen, the bishop of Utrecht, took advantage of the resulting power vacuum and staged an assault of Muiden Castle in 1300. He had the castle fortifications destroyed after defeating its defenders, and over the course of the next seventy years, the castle fell into ruins. However, in 1370, Duke Albrecht, the Count of Holland, had the castle rebuilt on the same grounds. The new castle was built as a traditional square castle echoing the designs of other prominent Dutch castles of the period, such as Helmond Castle and Ammersoyen Castle. Like Floris, Albrecht used the castle as a defensive fortification; the castle was only occupied by custodians and a small supporting military force. Albrecht improved the castle’s design with the addition of a small residential wing facing the Zuiderzee. In 1576, further improvements were made to the castle’s earthen walls to strengthen its defensive capabilities.

In 1609, Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft (1581–1647) was appointed as the sheriff of Muiden and the bailiff of neighboring Gooiland. During his thirty-eight-year stay at Muiden Castle, he had the castle restored in Dutch Renaissance style. He added a series of gardens as well as a plum orchard. Hooft was a writer, poet, and playwright who used the castle to host celebrations with famed writers, scientists, and artists of the Dutch Renaissance. In the seventeenth century, Muiden Castle was incorporated as a stronghold in the various water defense lines used to protect Holland.

Over the centuries, as the need for defensive fortresses declined, the castle fell into disrepair, although in the eighteenth century it was briefly repurposed as a prison. However, by 1825, the castle was in poor condition and was put up for sale, with the expectation that the new owner would buy it for its grounds and have the castle itself demolished, reusing its stones for construction. After a series of protests, Dutch King Willem I agreed to prevent its sale, and a public effort was made to buy the castle. By 1895, enough funds had been raised to purchase the castle. It was then donated to the Dutch nation and converted into a museum. Since its purchase, the castle has undergone repeated and intensive restorations to return it to its former glory.

Overview

The castle is comparatively small. Constructed in a roughly square shape, it measures 105 by 115 feet (32 by 35 meters) with brick walls that are more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) thick, which is a nod to its original purpose as a defensive fortress. The castle features large arches on two sides with walkways that enhanced the ability of defenders to protect the castle from sieges. The castle has five high towers with slotted windows. In the front is a functional drawbridge that serves as an entrance to the museum.

The castle is perhaps best known for the pristine moat that surrounds it on all four sides. The design of Muiden Castle’s moat provides the illusion that the castle is submerged in a small lake, although the moat is entirely manmade. The natural growth of lily pads and other aquatic plants further highlights the fairytale image of the building to contemporary visitors.

Since its incorporation into the national Rijksmuseum system, the castle’s interior has been restored with furnishings that would have reflected its appearance in the seventeenth century when it served as Hooft’s home. Between 1948 and 1972, Muiden Castle underwent an extensive series of repairs that removed earlier additions that had been built to restore the castle to its presumed historical appearance but were later discovered to be inaccurate. In its present incarnation, in addition to its role as a museum, the castle is regularly used for state functions and other celebratory events like weddings.

Bibliography

“Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot.” I Am Amsterdam, Amsterdam Board of Tourism, www.iamsterdam.com/en/see-and-do/things-to-do/museums-and-galleries/museums/amsterdam-castle-muiderslot. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.

“Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot.” Holland.com, Netherlands Bureau for Tourism and Congresses, www.holland.com/global/tourism/destinations/provinces/north-holland/muiderslot-2.htm. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.

“The History of Muiderslot.” Muiderslot, www.muiderslot.nl/en/castle/history/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.

Huijbrechts, Annick, and Yvonne Molenaar. Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot: Experience Seven Centuries of History. Amsterdam: Stichting Rijksmuseum Muiderslot, 2013, www.muiderslot.nl//wp-content/uploads/2015/06/EbookAmsterdamCastle.pdf.pdf. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.

“Muiden Castle.” Castles.nl, www.castles.nl/muiden-castle112. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.

“Muiderslot Castle.” Amsterdam Sights, www.amsterdamsights.com/excursions/muiderslot.html. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.

“Muiderslot Castle.” Castles of Medieval Times, www.castlesofmedievaltimes.com/muiderslot-castle.html. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.

“Rijksmuseum Muiderslot.” Stelling van Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, www.stellingvanamsterdam.nl/en/rijksmuseum-muiderslot/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.

“Water as Friend and Foe.” Muiderslot, www.muiderslot.nl/en/castle/water-shield/. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019.