Waardenburg Castle

The date of foundation of Waardenburg Castle is precisely known: on 5 August 1265, Count Otto II of Gelre gave the villages Hiern, Neerijnen, and Opijnen to Rudolph de Cock, knight, who gave his possessions in Rhenoy in return.

His sister Walraven succeeded him in 1494 and married Otto van Arkel, bringing the building into this family.

The son of the founder Rudolph de Cock built "den sael ende Ronde tour" in 1283.

In 1355 the fourth lord (Johan de Cock) built a large square tower of four floors with roof, wall walk and Bartizan turrets in the east end with the ring wall and the outer bailey.

He also had a ring wall built and a moat constructed, which surrounded the castle with an outer bailey.

The castle was damaged in World War II during the bombing of the nearby Bommelse Brug and was declared uninhabitable in 1957.