From the purple heathlands of the Veluwe and the city canals of Elburg to the clear blue waters of the Zandenplas: Gelderland is brimming with extraordinary places. Yet no other location boasts such a layered history as this Gelderland estate.
A 1.5-hour drive from Amsterdam lies Ruurlo Castle, a fortress hidden behind azure-blue canal waters and a historic castle park. Behind its facades lie centuries-old secrets, a world-famous hedge maze, a dark wartime past, and surrealist masterpieces.
A noble heritage full of stories
The castle’s history begins in 1326, when it was first officially recorded as a fief of Count Reinoud I of Gelre. Starting in the fifteenth century, the estate passed into the hands of the noble Van Heeckeren family, who owned it for no less than five centuries. They converted the medieval defense tower into an elegant country retreat.
In addition to this rich history, the castle is home to well-known legends. According to a persistent legend, the “White Lady,” the ghost of a former lady of the castle, still haunts the centuries-old corridors.
The Guinness World Record maze
Close to the castle lies one of the site’s most famous attractions: a gigantic hedge maze. The labyrinth was laid out as early as 1890 based on a French design, featuring beech hedges nearly five meters high and kilometers of walking paths.
In 1996, the maze even earned a spot in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest hedge maze. Although that record was later broken, the labyrinth—covering an area of 8,700 square meters —remains an impressive masterpiece of landscape architecture.
The sinister SS headquarters in the Achterhoek
During World War II, the estate’s history took a grim turn. The German occupiers seized the castle, after which the SS established a regional headquarters there. Thanks to its sheltered location in the forests of Gelderland, the castle served as an ideal base of operations for the occupying forces.
In the rooms where the nobility had dined for centuries, harsh military orders suddenly rang out. This dark chapter left a deep wound in local history, until the Allies liberated the Achterhoek in the spring of 1945 and peace returned to the grounds.
After decades of standing vacant, the monument underwent a spectacular rebirth when businessman Hans Melchers purchased the castle and had it thoroughly restored. He transformed the historic castle into the second location of Museum MORE, the largest museum dedicated to Dutch modern realism.
Today, the centuries-old rooms serve as the backdrop for the largest public collection of paintings by Carel Willink. The combination of medieval architecture and his dreamlike, mysterious art makes this estate one of the most unique cultural destinations in the country.
