Kasteel Ammersoyen

Om museet

The castle was built in the first quarter of the 14th century on a silted-up bend of the Maas in the Bommelerwaard – unusually, in a single campaign rather than in several phases. With four corner towers, an outer bailey, and an encircling moat, it is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in the Netherlands. Its position on the contested border between Guelders and Brabant brought repeated sieges, for example in 1386 by Duke William of Jülich and in 1513 by the Habsburgs.

A major fire in 1590 left the castle only partly habitable for decades; it was not rebuilt until after the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, when the interior was adapted to 17th-century standards of comfort. In the 19th century the last private owner, Baron Arthur de Woelmont, lived here and added Neo-Gothic elements. From 1873 Poor Clare nuns used the castle as a convent; they had the moat filled in and a chapel added. In the winter of 1944/45 the castle lay on the front line and was badly damaged.

In 1957 the foundation Vrienden der Geldersche Kasteelen acquired the ruin. A sixteen-year restoration uncovered numerous medieval features such as the stairways inside the walls; in 1975 the castle opened to visitors. For a time it also served as the town hall. In recent years a medieval brewing oven has been uncovered in the cellar, a shard lab has been set up for the extensive moat finds, and in 2026 the west and south wings were redesigned.

Højdepunkter

• Six-meter-high Great Hall with new colorful wall paintings based on late medieval models
• The only surviving medieval brewing oven in a Dutch castle
• Schervenlab (shard lab) and museum hall with thousands of finds from the moat
• More than 300 steps of narrow stairways inside the walls, tower rooms, a “dungeon,” and privies
• Armory with pieces of armor to try on
• Medieval herb garden and hop garden by the moat

Permanente udstillinger

• Bewoners in scherven – Museum hall with a landscape of display cases full of moat finds, arranged by ceramic type and linked to the stories of individual residents.
• Schervenlab – Workroom where volunteers and archaeologists piece together shards from the moat; staffed Wednesdays and Sundays 13:00–16:00.
• Tijdreis door de westvleugel – Rooms redesigned in 2026, from the Great Hall to the Poortkamer, show how later residents drew on the Middle Ages up to the 19th century.

Grundlagt

1975

Ejer

Geldersch Landschap & Kasteelen

Entrépriser & rabatter

Free admission during regular opening hours with the Museumkaart, VriendenLoterij VIP-KAART, ICOM card, and for GLK donors; not valid for special tours and events. Online tickets via GLK.

Tilgængelighed

• Kørestolsvenlig: findes ikke
• Elevator: ingen oplysninger
• Handicaptoilet: findes ikke
• Handicapparkering
• Servicehunde tilladt
• Taktile tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
• Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger

Because of steep stairs, difficult with a rollator and not accessible at all by wheelchair. The entrance is in the cellar; accompanied by staff, the main floor can be reached via the outdoor staircase in the courtyard (ten steps with handrail). Accessible parking space approx. 100 m from the castle; drop-off at the bridge possible; folding stools available. No accessible restrooms (restrooms in the Koetshuis are spacious). QR codes with additional information in all halls; visually impaired visitors are advised to come with a companion. Podcast episodes about the castle are available.

Børn og familie

Velegnet til børn og familier

• Familieomvisninger & workshops
• Opgavehæfte, skattejagt eller audioguide for børn
• Interaktive stationer
• Barnevognsvenlig: findes ikke
• Børnefødselsdage

Free scavenger hunt available at the ticket desk, pieces of armor to try on, hands-on work in the Schervenlab; children's tours and workshops (e.g., making your own coat-of-arms shield) during school holidays. Children's birthday parties with a treasure hunt. Strollers are not allowed inside the castle (park them at the entrance or in the courtyard); baby carriers are allowed.

Transport & parkering

Via the A2, exit 19 Ammerzoden.

Service & spisesteder

• Café
• Museumsbutik
• Opbevaringsskabe

Het Koetshuis restaurant in the outer bailey with terrace (coffee, lunch, borrel/drinks; high tea on request) and a B&B with four rooms. Castle shop with souvenirs and regional products. Lockers in the entrance area. Dogs on a leash are allowed on the grounds but not inside the castle.

Arrangementer & udlejning

• Lokaler til leje
• Private fester
• Firmaarrangementer
• Bryllupper / vielser

Civil weddings in the Trouwzaal; corporate receptions, meetings, and parties in the Koetshuis; photo and film shoots by arrangement.

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