Rechteren Castle ( nl, Kasteel Rechteren) is a Dutch castle situated on an island on side-branch of
Overijsselse Vecht
The Vechte () (in German and in Low Saxon (Dutch Low Saxon pronunciation: ̯ɛxtəThe places near the Vechte in the County of Bentheim have the same pronunciation or Vecht (in Dutch) (), often called Overijsselse Vecht () in the Netherlands to ...
river, near the village of
Dalfsen
Dalfsen (; Dutch Low Saxon: ) is a municipality and a town in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. The municipality of Dalfsen was increased to its current size on 1 January 2001 through the amalgamation of the municipalities of ...
. It is the only castle in the province
Overijssel
Overijssel (, ; nds, Oaveriessel ; german: Oberyssel) is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands located in the eastern part of the country. The province's name translates to "across the IJssel", from the perspective of the ...
from the Middle Ages that still exists.
History
Originally, Rechteren Castle was owned by the counts of
Bentheim. It is first mentioned in 1190. In 1315, it became the property of Herman van Voorst. Through inheritances, it became property of the van Heeckeren, that split into the
van Voorst en
van Rechteren
The House of Rechteren (also van Rechteren-Limpurg) is the name of an old noble family belonging to the Dutch and German nobility. The German branch of Countsvon Rechteren-Limpurg-Speckfeld has been mediatised.
History
The family was already no ...
family. The counts of Rechteren inherited the castle, and it is nowadays still the family's property. The castle is not open to visitors.
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
the castle offered shelter to some 60 refugees from Katwijk, Noordwijk and Scheveningen.
Exterior
The castle has been renovated and extended several times throughout the centuries. In 1591,
Prince Maurice of Orange requested the owners to dismantle all fortification elements, so that the Spanish troops would not be able to seize an important military stronghold. The surrounding ring wall was torn down, and the main moat was drained.
In the 18th century, two wings were added to the main building. In 1896 the main building and the main tower were transformed in neogothic style. In the 1950s, all the neogothic elements were removed, and the 18th century style of the castle was restored.
Interior
In 1908 and 1991, the owners of the castle allowed a photographer to take pictures of the interior. The vestibule contains many family portraits, and there is a white salon designed in
rococo
Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
style. The dinner room is decorated with paintings by
Herman ten Oever, depicting scenes from Greek mythology. The central hall contains portraits and arms of the Rechteren family.
Image:Rechteren 1729.png, Rechteren in 1729
Image:Toegangshek en brug - Dalfsen - 20047469 - RCE.jpg, Entrance gate
Image:Rechteren.jpg, Front view
External links
*
Dutch website on Kasteel Rechteren
{{coord, 52.4977, N, 6.2892, E, type:landmark_region:NL, display=title
Water castles
Castles in Overijssel
Rijksmonuments in Overijssel
Dalfsen