Muiden Castle Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Muiden Castle
Muiderslot

Muiden, the Netherlands
Muiden Castle
Atlas van Loon (1649)
Muiden Castle
Coordinates	52°20′03″N 5°04′17″E / 52.3343°N 5.0714°E / 52.3343; 5.0714
Type	Castle
Site information
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Good
Site history
Built	1370
Built by	Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria

Muiden Castle (Dutch: Muiderslot) is a cool old castle in the Netherlands. It's located right where the Vecht river meets what used to be the Zuiderzee (now a lake). This castle is about 15 kilometers southeast of Amsterdam, in a town called Muiden. It's one of the most famous castles in the Netherlands and you might have seen it in TV shows about the Middle Ages!

History of Muiden Castle
Images for kids
See also

History of Muiden Castle

Count Floris V and the First Castle

The story of Muiden Castle began way back in 1280. A powerful leader named Count Floris V decided to build a strong stone castle here. He had just taken control of this area, which was important because the Vecht river was a busy trade route leading to Utrecht, a very important trading city back then.

The castle was built to collect a special tax called a "toll" from traders using the river. It wasn't a huge castle, measuring about 32 by 35 meters. But its brick walls were super thick – more than 1.5 meters! A wide moat (a ditch filled with water) surrounded the castle for extra protection.

Sadly, Count Floris V's story at the castle didn't end well. In 1296, some people, including Gerard van Velsen, planned to kidnap him. Floris V was captured and held prisoner right here in Muiden Castle. After he tried to escape, Gerard van Velsen killed him on June 27, 1296.

The very next year, in 1297, the castle was taken over by Willem van Mechelen, who was the Archbishop of Utrecht. By the year 1300, the castle was completely destroyed.

The Castle Rebuilt

About a hundred years later, around 1370 to 1386, the castle was rebuilt. It was put back in the exact same spot and looked just like the first one. This time, it was rebuilt by Albert I, Duke of Bavaria. He was also the Count of Holland and Zeeland at that time.

P.C. Hooft's Summer Home

The next important owner of the castle appeared in the 16th century. His name was P.C. Hooft (1581-1647). He was a famous writer, poet, and historian. For 39 years, he spent his summers at Muiden Castle.

P.C. Hooft loved to invite his smart friends over. These friends were scholars, poets, and painters like Vondel, Huygens, Bredero, and Maria Tesselschade Visscher. This group of talented people became known as the Muiderkring, which means "Muiden Circle." It was like a cool club for brilliant minds! P.C. Hooft also made the garden bigger and added a plum orchard.

Saving the Castle

Towards the end of the 18th century, Muiden Castle was used as a prison for a while. Then, it was left empty and started to fall apart. By 1825, it was in such bad shape that it was put up for sale, with the plan to tear it down!

Luckily, King William I stepped in and stopped this from happening. But it took another 70 years before enough money was collected to fix up the castle and make it look grand again.

Muiden Castle Today

Today, Muiden Castle is a national museum. When you visit, you can see the inside of the castle, including its rooms and kitchens. They have been restored to look just like they did in the 17th century. Some rooms even have a collection of old weapons and armor for you to explore!