Gebroken Slot, Castle ruin in Grubbenvorst, Netherlands.
Gebroken Slot is a castle ruin in Horst aan de Maas beside the Maas River, where only two tower fragments remain standing. These stone remnants line the river bank and mark where a medieval fortress once dominated the landscape.
The original fortress was built in 1311 and underwent major repairs in the 15th century before being destroyed in 1585. A manor house replaced it in 1623, though this too was removed in later centuries.
The name Gebroken Slot means 'broken castle' in Dutch, directly reflecting the fragmented state of what remains today. Locals and visitors recognize it as a symbol of how wars have shaped the Limburg landscape over centuries.
The ruins sit directly beside Venloseweg street, easily reached for a quick riverside visit. They are accessible anytime since they stand in open ground without restricted hours or formal gates.
During World War II, the last standing structures were deliberately demolished in 1944 to alter the strategic river position. The few remaining stone walls today quietly tell this abrupt rupture in the site's story.
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