A castle in the heart of Eindhoven. Visitors to the city probably can’t imagine it, but that’s how it was hundreds of years ago. A group of amateur archaeologists are now trying to get a better idea of what ‘Eindhoven Castle’ looked like exactly.
The reason was a discovery by the Kempen- en Peelland Archaeological Association in 2019. It then came to light that the gatehouse (a kind of entrance, ed.) was completely different than previously thought. So, the archaeologists recently went to Ten Hagestraat to conduct research.
Not in the ‘stereotypical way’, with a shovel in the ground, but with ground-penetrating radar. This device sends and receives signals via the ground. In this way the subsurface is mapped. “We are trying to use ground penetrating radar to look at some parts that have not been excavated and we hope to be able to determine the shape of the foundations in more places,” explains amateur archaeologist Haro van Galen.
Tower or not
A lot is still unknown about the castle, which, among other things, played a military role during the Eighty Years’ War. “For example, we suspect a tower that once stood against the corner of the castle, and which was demolished in the seventeenth century due to dilapidation. The position was placed to the right of the castle gate in an old description. In addition, not the entire shape of the façade of the castle and the west side of the complex are known.”
“We hope to be able to show a more accurate reconstruction of the castle once the scan has been completed.” What and if anything can be seen of the castle should become clear in the coming weeks. “For example, it is possible that in some places the foundations are deeper than the radar shows. The groundwater level also has a significant influence on this. With a bit of bad luck, we see very little, or mainly modern pipes or sewers.”
Source: Studio040
Translated by Yawar Abbas
