Kasteel Oost

Kasteel Oost is a castle-like country house just outside the town of Valkenburg. This national monument is surrounded by a beautiful landscape garden. The first mention of the castle dates back to 1340, when there was a fortified farm on the site of the castle. At the beginning of the 19th century, the castle was uninhabited for a number of years, so it fell into disrepair. The accompanying chapel was then used for the storage of goods of a church in Valkenburg. In 1830 the manor was bought and saved from destruction by a squire. Between 1839 and 1840, the country house was radically renovated in neoclassical style. Then the country house got the look it still has today. The house is built from ocher-colored marl, from the well-known caves in the area. After the Second World War, the castle was seized by the Dutch State as enemy property. Ultimately, the castle was bought in 1950 by the municipality of Valkenburg-Houthem. The International Butler Academy has been located in the castle since 2010.