The Day of the Castle
The Day of the Castle (Dag van het Kasteel) is an annual celebration of castles, marked each year on Whit Monday (Tweede Pinksterdag), exactly 50 days after Easter Sunday.
Bringing castles in the Netherlands to life
All old castles are places of intriguing tales. Age-old stories from the past along with contemporary research bring the castles to life.
All across the Netherlands, from Groningen to Maastricht, more than 120 castles, country houses and country estates are typically open to the public on this day. Many Dutch castles are already open to the public, but this special day means that privately-owned residences or castles that are used commercially can now be places of enjoyment for the general public.
Celebrate Dag van het Kasteel in 2022
This year's edition of the event has the theme Een ramp is van alle tijden ("A disaster is of all times") in honour of the 350th anniversary of the Rampjaar ("disaster year") in 1672. Some castles taking part this year include:
- Keukenhof Castle
- Trompenburg Gardens & Arboretum
- Helmond Castle
- Allersmaborg
- Water Castle
- Marquette Estate
- Hoensbroek Castle
Preserving Dutch cultural heritage
The Day of the Castle is organised by the Dutch Castle Foundation, with the distinct aim of bringing awareness to the preservation of cultural heritage. It’s the only dedicated heritage day focusing entirely on castles and country estates.
