De Burcht
This is one of the oldest existing examples of a castle in the Netherlands. A fenced refuge for people from attackers.
You will find the castle on an artificial hill in the heart of Leiden. The history of this refuge dates back to the 9th and 10th centuries, when the design of a palisade mound began. The result was a place fenced with poles where humans and livestock could flee against attackers. In the following centuries, the hill was raised several times and the building was expanded and strengthened on top. Today, this castle is one of the best preserved examples of a motte castle, a high-medieval castle type. The walls are on average just over 6 meters high and almost a meter thick.
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