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The rich history of Kasteel Steenenburg
From medieval walls to the Land van Ooit
Landgoed Steenenburg is a place where history, imagination and innovation come together. Central to this special estate is Kasteel Steenenburg, a castle that has been the heart of the estate for centuries. From noble residence to imaginative theme park, over the years the castle has had many functions.
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A past rooted in medieval nobility
The history of Kasteel Steenenburg goes back to the year 1230, when Dirk van Altena transferred his possessions in present-day Heusden to the Duke of Brabant. Not much later it came into the hands of the noble Van Haestrecht family, who resided here for six generations.
In 1559, the castle was first mentioned in a charter recognizing it as a place of jurisdiction. Strategically located in the swampy Brabant countryside, the fortified house grew into a stately country estate.
Through heirs and marriages, the estate came into the hands of influential families such as Van Wassenaer (shown in the image) and Van Beieren-Schagen. In 1707, granddaughter Maria Isabella van Beieren-Schagen married the Belgian Count d'Oultremont and the estate came into the control of the d'Oultremont family.
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The d'Oultremont family
In 1707, Kasteel Steenenburg came into the possession of the Belgian noble family d'Oultremont through marriage. After 1787, the castle fell into disrepair. During the French occupation, resident Johan Kuffeler was forced to flee due to the misconduct of soldiers, who took over the castle in 1794 to use it as a military hospital. In 1795, a fire reduced a large part of the castle to ashes. The remains were subsequently sold in early 1800.
Restoration followed, although it is unclear exactly what was altered. The gatehouse, which had not been destroyed by fire, was made suitable for habitation, and later, in 1875, Adriaan d’Oultremont, a Belgian military officer and Member of Parliament, commissioned a major renovation in which the long left wing was replaced – the basis for the current layout.
Nevertheless, the family continued to visit the castle (the gatehouse, now referred to as the castle). From 1896 onwards, Count d’Oultremont stayed here for several weeks each year, and in 1903 his son Jean spent the summers in Drunen with his nine children.
The castle through the years
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The Land van Ooit: Where children are in charge
In 1984, entrepreneur Marc Taminiau bought Kasteel Steenenburg with a striking dream: to transform the estate into an imaginative theme park for children. This is how Het Land van Ooit came into being – a place where children were in charge and pink knights and theatrical characters shaped everyday life. A world emerged in which visitors took part in living stories rather than boarding rides.
The park had a unique atmosphere, complete with its own currency and form of government. Interaction and imagination were central: no rollercoasters, but an open-air theatre, where every child was seen as a knight or a countess. Millions of visitors experienced unforgettable adventures there.
Yet the fairy tale could not withstand financial headwinds. In 2007, Het Land van Ooit closed its gates for good. What remained was a mysterious landscape full of memories – and a castle once again awaiting its next chapter.
The Land van Ooit used its own currency, the "OoitSent."
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Kasteel Steenenburg now and in the future
After years of silence, Landgoed Steenenburg will regain meaning since 2021. In the heart of the grounds, with the iconic castle as its centerpiece, a contemporary living and working area is rising. Here the future is being built with respect for the past - a place where history and progress meet.
The castle itself shines in a new role; in addition to inspiring meeting rooms, you can visit the castle's atmospheric bar or dine in the restaurant. Whether a meeting, a romantic weekend or an unforgettable celebration: every moment here becomes an experience.
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