Caves, Spas, and Castles in Valkenburg
Dec 17th, 2009 by sophie smith
Only one place in the Netherlands boasts a hilltop castle, the small town of Valkenburg, which lies below in the beautiful valley of Geul. If you find your way here, you’ll find a number of places to stay in the hotels Valkenburg offers its tourists, and a host of reasons to stay for a number of days — caves, spas, and castles.
The caves near Valkenburg were a major tourist attraction over the years. The caves were carved from Marlstone cliffs from when the Romans mined for stones to build the city and castle. The mines began as long ago as 836 years, in 1050, and today they’re accessible by walking tours and a tram tour. They were used for a variety of purposes, everything from mining to secret chapels whose devout participants hid from Napoleon. In World War II, they were also used as hiding places from the Nazis.
The town also is known for its thermal spas, where tourists can relax with full treatments, lounging in the steamy waters. But, perhaps for those historically as minded as those whose major aim is relaxation, the castle will prove to be of major interest.
The castle of Valkenburg aan de Geul was constructed around 1115, then a basic rectangular castle keep circled by wood structures. Seven years later, Emperor Hendrik V destroyed the castle. However, over the next few centuries, the castle was rebuilt. The larger castle was destroyed again in 1329. And rebuilt again. The remains of the castle seen now come from the castle rebuilt after 1329. That didn’t stop others from trying to destroy it again and again — from 1465 all the way to 1672 when the troops of King-Stadtholder Willem III actually blew the castle up in order to keep it out of French hands. The castle was never rebuilt after that, but its remains serve today as part of three main tourist attractions in the area.
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