With Adrem Limburg to ... Hoensbroek Castle

Hoensbroek Castle is one of the largest castles in the Netherlands and is definitely worth a visit. Admire the majestic 'Sael', visit the horror dungeon and take part in one of the many activities that are organised there.

Hoensbroek Castle now

Nowadays, Hoensbroek Castle is set up as a castle museum. During a visit, you have access to more than forty furnished rooms. This gives you a good impression of how life in a castle used to be.

Hoensbroek Castle is also an official wedding location and there are also various possibilities to celebrate your wedding or another party. Including themed children's parties, where the kids - of course dressed up - go on a treasure hunt or play medieval games. Highly recommended!

There is also plenty to do for adults. For example, you can combine a castle visit with various workshops, including archery and fencing. A great idea for a staff outing. Such a castle visit can be enhanced by having actors in costume show up or by dressing up in medieval clothing yourself.

There are special events at Hoensbroek Castle throughout the year, in keeping with the season.

Practical information

Hoensbroek Castle is open almost every day from 10.00:17.30 to 24:25, with the exception of 31 and 1 December, 26 December, 12.00 January and Carnival. On XNUMX December (Boxing Day) the castle does not open until XNUMX:XNUMX.

The regular entrance fee is 9,75 euros for 'adults' (>12 years) and 7,25 euros for children from 4 to 12 years. Children under 4 years old can enter for free. Different rates apply for (school) groups. For treasure hunts and the like you pay a surcharge, on top of the regular entrance fee.

Hoensbroek Castle is located on Klinkertstraat, but the (free) parking lot and entrance are on Juliana Bernardlaan.

Hoensbroek Castle in the past

Hoensbroek is a compound of 'Hoen' and 'broek'. Hoen is the name of the noble family that founded the castle. And a broek is a marshy area along a river or stream (three streams meet near the castle). To distinguish themselves from the rest of the family, the Hoen family started calling themselves 'Hoen zu Broeck' or 'Hoen van den Broeck', which was corrupted to (van) Hoensbroe(c)k.

The castle is also popularly called 't Gebrookhoes, just as the village was called Gebrook before the arrival of the Hoen family. In the dialect, Hoensbroek is still often called Gebrook. The name Gebrookhoes is in fact older than the castle itself and refers to the fortified house that must have been located here around 1250.

The oldest parts of the current Hoensbroek Castle, including the round tower at the back, date from around 1360. The other, square tower at the back dates from the major renovation of 1643. The two turrets flanking the entrance at the front are even younger. The different building styles that have been applied over the centuries can easily be distinguished.

Over the centuries, the castle has had a variety of residents – knights, counts, lords and marquises. In the previous century, the castle briefly served as a children's home. One of the last castle residents was the famous Dutch writer and poet Bertus Aafjes, who lived and worked there for over two decades.

The ghost of Hoensbroek

We don't want to scare you, but a real ghost is said to haunt Hoensbroek Castle. It is said that this is the ghost of Marchioness Anna Catharina, nicknamed the Blue Lady. Every now and then, passers-by notice a blue light at the top of the round tower of the castle. Anna Catharina died in the castle in 1760 as an unhappy widow. Two of her children, who died at a young age, are said to have been walled up in the three-metre thick walls of the tower. A ghost story, or...?

Are you going to Kasteel Hoensbroek with a group? Then consider a passenger van for six or nine persons for rent at Adrem Limburg. You can rent a van from 39,90 euros per day (excl. insurance and fuel costs and excl. VAT).

Read here about Attune's day trips with Adrem.