Sterkenburg

English translation

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Description

Component 1

MAIN BUILDING (CASTLE STERKENBURG)

Castle Sterkenburg is a castle of medieval origin with residential buildings dating from the mid-19th century, built on medieval and 18th-century foundations, flanked to the east by a 13th-century round tower and to the west by a square tower from 1867, located on a circular castle island accessible by means of a double bridge from circa 1850. The 19th-century main volume of red brickwork on rectangular ground plan, covered with a complex hipped roof with slate roofing in so-called German bond, has all around a profiled and corbelled cornice, supported on consoles. To the east of the main volume lies the medieval round tower on circular ground plan with on top a mid-19th-century belvedere and copper roof. To the west a square tower from 1867 under a high pavilion roof covered with slate, crowned by a brick chimney with ironwork and weathervane. In 1848 Mr K.J.F.C. Kneppelhout became owner of Sterkenburg and the castle underwent major renovation whereby it acquired its current appearance in William II Gothic style. The medieval rear wing and the front wing from 1754-1767 were demolished to allow the creation of the present representative and spacious block-shaped manor house. The medieval round tower and part of the old northern walls, which served as a retaining wall of the terrace, were preserved and the other 18th-century elements also remained intact. On these old foundations, between 1848 and 1851, in place of the medieval and 18th-century wings, the current block-shaped wings were erected. On the south-west side, the wing received a symmetrical five-bay front facade, of which the central risalit consists of the entrance section. This risalit ends in a bell gable with a zinc coat of arms of the knights' seat of Sterkenburg affixed to it. This bell gable must have been realized in 1854, as the tympanum reads: "Restored 1854". The top is crowned by a semicircular pediment with a lead vase. The entrance section, accessible via a double bridge, consists of a double glazed door which together with the fanlight with zinc neo-Gothic decoration, is set in a natural stone surround with a segmental arch. Above this, likewise within a natural stone surround, a bull's-eye window with neo-Gothic decoration. Above all windows segmental relieving arches are provided. On either side of the risalit above a continuous natural stone band, both on the piano nobile and first floor T-shaped windows, on the inside provided with blinds. In the south-eastern part of the 19th-century facade on the left on the piano nobile a T-shaped window and on the right in the partly sloping facade a recessed balcony with sandstone balustrade. From the balcony two columns run upwards to the first floor and support a balcony with zinc balustrade, to the left of this a T-shaped window. Both balconies are accessible by means of large sliding doors and provided with sliding shutters on the inside. The rear (north) of the 19th-century section has an irregular window arrangement and on the piano nobile an access to the terrace. During the 19th-century renovation the round tower remained virtually entirely intact, but was provided with contemporary decoration: under the influence of neo-Gothic, the round tower was provided with a round-arch frieze, a crenellated parapet and various windows cut into the walls: on the piano nobile there are two spandrels, in each two windows with leaded glass, separated by a narrow column, above which a neo-Gothic trefoil and on the first floor a double window with neo-Gothic decoration. On the north side of the round tower lies the great hall in which three empire glazed doors give access to a spacious balcony with cast-iron floor and zinc balustrade supported by four decorated, sturdy terracotta consoles. On the first floor three empire windows and beneath the balcony is an access to the cellar. On the north side of the new 19th-century main building lay the foundations of the former, largely demolished around 1767, 14th-century square tower. In 1867 a new square tower was built, like the round tower provided with a round-arch frieze and a crenellated parapet. The tower was designed by the architect N.J. Kamperdijk according to a mathematically formulated design system. The tower was positioned forwards relative to its predecessor and served as a counterbalance to the round tower. The square tower has a passage underneath provided with a zinc keystone cover plate with coat of arms and in the facades a regular window arrangement including empire sash windows. The castle is accessible via a double bridge, on both sides with brick abutments and on and between a deck of hard stone and wood. The bridge was provided with a neo-Gothic balustrade of cast zinc in the same style and form as the zinc balustrade of the bridge to the forecourt. The lower bridge gave access to the service rooms, the upper bridge to the piano nobile. On the rear of the house, in place of one of the medieval wings, a terrace was laid out, only bounded by a low wall—the original retaining wall—which indicates the perimeter of the medieval buildings. The terrace is accessible from the rear from the great hall adjoining the round tower.

INTERIOR - The interior is provided with many original details, including internal blinds, wainscotting, wooden and natural stone floors, doors, and fireplaces. In 1848 a central entrance was chosen, with rooms of equal size to the left and right of the vestibule. The vestibule opens onto a hall with a stair with double flight. Striking is that the monumental hall and the monumental stair do not lie in each other's continuation, but are offset relative to each other. At the top of the stairs are two special leaded glass windows. The hall gives access on the right to the former dining room with a balcony on the outside. The former medieval courtyard on the left side of the hall is entirely taken up by the cooking and scullery kitchens.

Valuation

MAIN HOUSE (Castle Sterkenburg) belonging to the historic country estate Sterkenburg, of general importance: - by reason of age; - by reason of architectural design; - by reason of the high degree of integrity of the exterior and interior; - as a fine example of a castle dating from the second half of the 13th century, which was enlarged and modified over the centuries and acquired its present character in the 19th century; - by reason of the particular and extensive use of cast zinc; - by reason of the functional-spatial relationship with the other components of the country estate; - by reason of the characteristic location within the park layout in landscape style, created within a formal 17th- and 18th-century main structure.