Waardenburg Castle
The most creepy castle of the Netherlands is undoubtedly Waardenburg Castle. The castle was build in 1265, and was at that time nothing more then a wooden tower build on a socalled 'motte,' an artificial hill of sand. Soon it was replaced by buildings made of stone. The castle became bigger and bigger, till during the Eighty Years' War the house was largely demolished. In 1627 there was an attempt to make the house inhabitable again, but lack of money made it impossible to maintain it.
Baron Jacob van Pallandt restored the house in 1895, and he and his two sisters came to live there. During the Second World War the house was occupied by the Germans, who rifled everything. Bombing ruined the biggest part again, only one third of the castle is left today. The house is now property of the 'Foundation Friends of Castles of Gelre,' who wants to restore the house.
The south side of Waardenburg Castle.
The history of Waardenburg is rather violent, and that left its remains. The house is terribly haunted by several apparitions. At night someone is walking up and down the stairs; things disappear and reappear again at another place; footsteps are heard in the attic; you can hear lots of eery sounds; there is a poltergeist and in the east wing is a haunted room. The house is world famous, but not for its ghosts. In this very house lived once the famous Dr. Johann Georg Faust, the sorcerer, alchimist, necromancer etc. This Faust sold his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and magic. The devil would serve him for seven years in the shape of his servant Joost.
Faust was not a very friendly master, and he let the devil do things, the latter didn't like very much. He had to pave a road for Faust, and break it up again after he had passed. Once Faust emptied a two kilogram bag of bird-seed into the thorn-bushes and the devil had to pich up all the seeds one by one till it was two kilogram again, and so more. You can image that the devil didn't like this, and when his time eventually came, his revenge was terrible.
He took him by his leg and slammed him against the walls of his study, smearing his brains, eyes and everything out over the walls. Finally he pulled his body through the barred window and took his soul to hell, leaving his mutilated body behind on the dunghill.
The window on the second floor of the tower was Faust's study.
