49 bedrooms | 7 baths | 20,829 square feet
Built in 1,200
You all seem to like spooky castles in foreign countries, so here’s another one to scratch that itch. Clocking in at over 800 years old, the Schin Op Geul Estate in The Netherlands was once a defensive fortress. And at $7.23 million, it’s pricy enough to ward off any hipsters with plans of turning it into a chic bed and breakfast.
It has towers, a moat, suits of armor, and six acres for plenty of spooky meanderings. And with centuries of drama, there HAS to be a ghost or two roaming these grounds.
Here’s the realtor’s description.
“Imagine that you are the owner of Schaloen Castle, located in the beautiful Oud Valkenburg. An impressive castle that can be reached via a beautiful driveway lined with lime trees. Crossing a bridge, we arrive at the island on which Schaloen Castle is built. The total area of ??the plot is approximately 12,225 m2. Schaloen Castle is still located between two other nearby castles, namely East Castle and Genhoes Castle. These three castles are situated in a 400-hectare nature reserve. It is a protected nature reserve. The castle has been beautifully restored on the inside. The fastest river in the Netherlands, the Geul, flows behind the castle. The riverbeds in the beautiful landscape reveal the past of the meandering river. The ornamental garden around the castle looks beautiful, and the bridges and quays have been completely rebuilt and restored. There are several beautiful historical outbuildings around the castle, such as the gatehouse, the tithe barn, and the economy building.
Schaloen Castle was built around the year 1200 as a defensive fortress. The remains of this fortress are still visible in the vaults of the current castle. The castle was rebuilt twice, first in 1656 and later in 1894. The current owners purchased the castle in 1985 and further restored it. The castle is a national monument and a provincial monument. In addition, it has an NSW status, which brings with it some very interesting tax benefits.
The castle and its outbuildings have a total living area of approximately xxxx m2, and the estate has an area of 12,225 m2. It is a particularly robust building with many possibilities. The castle has four floors with many different spaces such as the reception hall, lounge, tower room, kitchen, dining vault, commercial kitchen, knight’s hall, tower room, and various bedrooms and bathrooms. The castle is decorated with beautiful frescoes and monumental fireplaces. The floors are made of oak or marble.
Outbuildings: In addition to the castle, there are several beautiful outbuildings on the estate. All outbuildings have been completely renovated and are now used as holiday apartments, restaurants, event venues, or workshops. The current owners have paid a lot of attention to preserving the historic appearance and charm of the buildings while adding modern facilities for a comfortable stay.
The gatehouse, dating from 1718, is a unique building with a unique appearance. In this gatehouse, the gatekeeper used to live, and there was a small bakery. Now it serves as a restaurant space with a dining room. On the ground floor, there is a dishwashing room, a commercial kitchen, a bar with seating, and a dining room for about 60 people. In the basement, there is a bakery, a cozy seating area with a baker’s oven as a fireplace, for about 40 people. Behind this baker’s oven, there is a wine cellar that now serves as a storage room. On the 1st floor, there is a meeting room. This space has toilets and a complete manager’s apartment, with a hall, living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom.
The tithe barn, built-in 1727. Where everyone used to be obliged to pay a tenth of the yield of the land to the castle lord, currently, four hotel rooms and a large storage space have been realized. Twelve additional hotel rooms or two halls can still be built in this storage space and above these hotel rooms. The connections and ground floor are already present for this. The renovated tithe barn has been renovated, and the large storage space is now also a beautiful location for parties, congresses, and other events. This space is fully equipped with modern technology and facilities but still has the charm and appearance of the historic barn.
The economy building, where the blacksmith once forged the iron, is now fully furnished as an apartment complex. The apartments have a hall, living room, open kitchen or kitchenette, and toilet on the ground floor and two or three bedrooms with a bathroom on the first floor. From these apartments, you can enjoy the view of the Valkenburg ruin, the particularly beautiful characteristic Limburg landscape, and of course, our own Schaloen Castle.
Swan House. This small building used to be the home of the swans that lived in the castle moat. Now it is used for storing garden equipment.
Gardens/bridges/buildings
The castle moat has been dredged, and infrastructure and paths have been constructed. The gardens have also been raised and planted to form an ornamental garden. The bridges and quays have been completely rebuilt and restored. Outside the gate, a parking lot has also been constructed for approximately 30 cars. This parking lot is located on private land and can, therefore, be closed off to the public.
Schaloen Castle has a lot to offer and is suitable for many different purposes, such as living, catering, holiday apartments, and/or a hotel. The castle is a feast for the eyes and well worth a visit. Contact us and discover all the possibilities of Schaloen Castle.”
