A visit to Bourtange

The fortified village of Bourtange is located in the east of Groningen. This route takes you through this unique historic town, but also through the surrounding cozy ash village landscape.

Fortress Bourtange
In Bourtange you will experience times gone by, because this fortified village looks much the same as it did in 1742. William of Orange had the fortress built in the sixteenth century to liberate Groningen from Spanish hands. At the time, Bourtange was on the supply route that ran through the middle of the marshes. The fortress has a pentagonal shape, the 14 lime trees in the market square are placed along the sides of the central pentagon. Outside the fortress you can still see part of the old marshland.

Diamonds aa
The route introduces you to the lovely brook valley of the Ruiten Aa, one of the most beautiful in the Netherlands. Especially around Ter Wupping, where there are still some characteristic Westerwold farms, you see a mix of convex fields, hay meadows, bushes and hedgerows. At Wedde you will pass Huis te Wedde, a little further on is De Korenbloem, a flour mill from 1895. At Hotel Bourtange you can enjoy a coffee or lunch on the cozy garden terrace afterwards.

House in Wedde
At Wedde you will pass Huis te Wedde, also known as the Wedderburcht. This castle was for centuries the seat of the Lords of Westerwolde, a former seigneury. The Wedderburcht has a long history of political scheming and acts of war. The origins of the castle date back to 1360. After this structure was destroyed in 1478, the castle was rebuilt in 1486 and has been extensively modified several times over the centuries, whether or not due to acts of war. Do you want to discover more of this surprisingly natural and history-rich region? Then also drive the routes 114978 and 171772.