Castle Dussen (Holland)

Dussen Castle has an eventful history. As early as the 14th century, a residential tower could be found next to the "de Dusse" stream. Arent van der Dussen had this residential tower transformed into a castle in 1387. The current cellars date back to that time!

The St. Elizabeth flood of 1421 turned Dussen Castle into a ruin. In 1456 the reconstruction of the castle began, on the initiative of Floris I van der Dussen, which was then continued by his son. The characteristic entrance gate and part of the towers are the remains of this reconstruction.

The Spaniards took the castle during the Eighty Years War in 1573. Eventually they left the castle in poor condition. The armistice of 1609, which would last no less than twelve years, led Baron van Gent to want to restore the castle to good condition. He was responsible for the Tuscan colonnade in the courtyard. In 1628 he was forced to sell the castle to the Van Axel family.

Marie Camille de Croix inherited the castle from her father in 1863. The castle came into the possession of the noble Belgian family of Ursel through her marriage to Marie Auguste d'Ursel. They then offered the castle to a monastic community in 1901 as temporary accommodation. They provided, among other things, the walkway across the canal. When the nuns left, the castle was empty for four years.

Eventually, the Suringar family took possession of Dussen Castle in 1924. Rolina Suringar was the last occupant and died suddenly in 1935. Subsequently, the castle was bought by the municipality. The castle was also a town hall between 1954 and 1997! In 2013 the castle became the property of Monumenten Fonds Brabant and in 2020 Niek van Lieverloo and Klaas van Leengoed moved into the beautiful Dussen Castle!