Duchy of Gelreroute Exciting History

The Achterhoek has a rich medieval past. A history that goes back many years in time and has left its mark on the landscape. Gelderland has the highest density of castles in the Netherlands, most of which are located in the Achterhoek. In the 11th century, the county of Guelders was created, which was called the Duchy of Guelders from the 14th century onwards. Guelders was an important political power block in Northwestern Europe in the Late Middle Ages. It consists of four quarters with Nijmegen, Arnhem, Zutphen and Roermond as capitals. The last duke of the'old stamp\\\' is Karel van Gelre. Not long after his death in 1538, Guelders was swallowed up by the Burgundian empire. The medieval period is over. In many places in the Achterhoek you can still see buildings that played a major role in the Middle Ages. This route will take you past four of these monuments, namely Wisch Castle in Terborg, the Oude Grafelijk Torenmolen in Zeddam, Huis Bergh Castle in's-Heerenberg and the Sint-Antoniuskapel in Sinderen. The starting point of the route is the DRU in Ulft. The DRU symbolizes the iron industry of the Achterhoek. The old factory buildings of the DRU have now been given a second life as an industrial monument. For example, the DRU complex has a theater hall, library, catering, meeting rooms, a concert hall, residences, a hotel and office. The route is signposted via the cycling junction system. At junction 53 or junction 68, this offers the option of shortening the route to an eastern or western route.