HB 02 Jan Herman van Heek and his wife

The portraits flanking the arch are of Jan Herman van Heek and his wife Anna van Heek-Wulfften Palthe. They deserve this prominent position , as they were of major importance to the castle. Jan Herman van Heek was a textile industrialist from Enschede, which used to be the capital of the Dutch textile industry. In 1912, at the age of 38, Van Heek bought the then derelict castle and its estate, which comprised vast grounds. It was his intention to spend the second half of his life at Huis Bergh. He loved its setting and scenery. He often went for long walks on which he hunted or sat down to make detailed pen drawings. In the same year in which he bought the castle, he met Annetje, eighteen years his junior. They got married the next year. Having acquired the castle, Van Heek took on the process of restoring it to its former medieval glory. Bit by bit, he transformed the estate into a monument of great cultural and natural importance. He extended his efforts to the protection of nature and monuments in the country as a whole. He was a true patron of the arts and a great benefactor indeed.

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For centuries, Huis Bergh Castle was the ancestral castle of the powerful Van den Burgh counts. The castle's building history dates back to the 12th century. Jan Herman van Heek, an industrialist from Enschede, purchased the castle in 1912. He amassed a collection of late medieval artworks that are on display in the castle even today. There is also the possibility to have your (wedding)party here or stay the night in one of the luxury suits in a former defense tower.