Ruïne Toutenburg, Medieval castle ruins in Vollenhove, Netherlands
Ruïne Toutenburg is a medieval castle in Vollenhove with two surviving round brick gatehouse towers, gun vaults, and fragments of a passage that once ran above the rectangular moat. The remaining structures demonstrate how fortifications were built during the 1500s in this part of the Netherlands.
Georg Schenk, a nobleman, built this fortification between 1524 and 1552 as a defensive stronghold under Charles V's reign. In the late 1700s, the Sloet family took ownership and later repurposed its materials to expand nearby Ruitenborgh Castle.
The name traces back to the Schenk family, whose influence shaped the region for generations. The surviving structures reflect how this place once served the daily life of those who lived here.
The ruins can be visited from outside along Laan van Toutenburgh 1 and are easy to reach from town. Special opening times apply during events like Open Monumentendag, so checking the local calendar beforehand makes sense.
A scale model of the original castle and various artifacts including architectural fragments and pottery are displayed at the nearby Cultuur Historisch Centrum. This collection helps visitors imagine how the fortress looked when it was complete.
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