Perhaps Teylingen’s greatest legacy isn’t just in its history, but in its name. Teylingen is a municipality in the Western Netherlands. It is located in the province of South Holland. Teylingen was formed on January 1 2006. The municipality came to be through the amalgamation of Sassenheim, Voorhout, and Warmond. The municipality is named after Teylingen Castle. The castle is located in Voorhout. In 2019, Teylingen had a population of 37061.
The municipality of Teylingen is bordered by several other municipalities. These include Noordwijkerhout and Lisse to the north. To the east are Haarlemmermeer and Alkemade. To the south are Leiderdorp and Leiden. Oegstgeest and Katwijk lie to the west. Teylingen is in the Dune and Bulb Region. The Kagerplassen are to the east of Sassenheim.
Teylingen includes several population centres. Sassenheim is where the city hall is located. There is also Teijlingen, with the castle. The other population centers are Voorhout and Warmond. Teylingen’s history stretches back centuries. Teylingen Castle played a crucial role in the region’s defense. It protected the north-south route in Hollandic territory.
William IV, Count of Holland, used it as a forester’s castle. Jacoba of Bavaria, a notable figure, died here. She was married to her fourth husband, Frank van Borssele, at the time. Drinking cups found nearby are called Jacobakanntjes.
The castle suffered heavy damage around 1570. This happened during the Eighty Years’ War. It was partially restored afterward. In 1675, the donjon partially burned. Decay then set in. Other parts were gradually demolished. The province of Holland acquired the lands including the ruins. In 1795, they were nationalized. Later, the grounds were sold. A condition was set that the ruins would not be demolished. This made the ruins one of the first examples of Dutch National Heritage.
In 1889, Jhr. Mr. W. van Teylingen donated the ruins to the Dutch state. The state still owns them today. The state’s building service, Rijksgebouwendienst, has jurisdiction over them. At the end of the 20th century, the ruins were partially restored. The partially filled-in moat was also restored to its original state.
The Foundation Slot Teylingen made the restoration possible. They bought grounds with support from the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds. Then, they donated the acquired grounds back to the Dutch state. On June 24 2023, Teylingen Castle received the HKV-schildje. The Historische Kring Voorhout gave this shield. It was a sign of appreciation for the volunteers and professionals. They worked hard in preserving Teylingen Castle.
Originally, the castle was a round water castle. It had a diameter of 37 meters. It only had a ring wall. The ring wall dates from the early 13th century. It features a massive wall. Buttresses on the inside support arcs. A chemin de ronde sits on top. Later, in the 13th century, the donjon was added. It forms part of the wall. An outer bailey also existed. In the 14th century, a comfortable house was built on the outer bailey. However, nothing remains of it today.
The villains in the series Bassie and Adriaan hid in Teylingen Castle. The series filmed the castle extensively. Teylingen stands as a testament to Dutch history.