Waardenburg en Neerijnen. Biografie van een kasteelensemble

Abstract

To the northeast of Zaltbommel, across the river Waal, lies the Waardenburg and Neerijnen estate. On this estate are two castles, connected to each other for centuries, but outwardly very different. While both castles are of medieval origin, one looks like a romantic medieval castle and the other like a sleek modern mansion. Why? And more importantly: What does it mean? Waardenburg and Neerijnen. Biography of a castle ensemble explores the history of the estate and its two castles. It tells the story of how the rich Burgundy-Habsburg culture of Waardenburg Castle was overpowered and destroyed by the House of Orange. Of how this was followed by a new era of laborious reconstruction and ultimately, prosperity. It also explores the interaction between the two castles, and more importantly still, the symbiosis between the actors and their castles. It also addresses the country house culture, which emerged much later in Waardenburg and Neerijnen than in Holland, Utrecht and eastern Gelderland. Research shows that to understand the castle ensemble, romantic views based on ancient chronicles, sagas, and legends are of much greater significance than is generally recognised. In summary, the Waardenburg and Neerijnen castle ensemble can be seen as a duality in an intersectional area, an interplay between north and south, between then and now, between culture and nature, and between the nobility and the people.