Tolhuis, Medieval castle ruins in Lobith, Netherlands
Tolhuis was a castle with brick walls and a distinctive round tower built near where the Rhine and Waal rivers met. Today the Schipperspoortje gatehouse stands as the sole remaining structure, showing how the original fortress was constructed.
Duke Reinald I of Gelderland built this castle in 1307 to collect tolls from vessels passing through the Rhine. In 1672, the French army of Louis XIV destroyed it completely during a military conflict.
The Schipperspoortje gatehouse, the last standing structure, displays small niches where guards once placed candles during their night watches. These details reveal how people managed their daily duties in this river outpost.
The castle's original location shifted about one kilometer south because the Rhine River changed its course over the centuries. Visitors should keep this geographic shift in mind when exploring the remains today.
The French army crossed the Rhine at this exact spot in 1672, leaving the fortress completely destroyed as a result of this military operation. This event marked the end of the castle as a working structure.
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