Wassenberg Castle

The history of Wassenberg Castle is closely linked to the town of the same name. As early as 1020, Emperor Henry II gifted the castle and the surrounding land to Gerardus of Antoing. He subsequently adopted the name Gerhard Count of Wassenberg, thereby founding the House of Wassenberg. From this lineage, after four generations, emerged the County of Geldern, which in turn formed the basis for the later Duchies of Jülich, Kleve, and Berg. It is believed that the castle itself was built on the foundations of an even older Roman fortification. After participating in the Crusades, Count Gerhard III of Wassenberg founded the St. George's Basilica and an associated collegiate church.