Château Neercanne Castle of Neercanne © DJI footage by Falconi

Château Neercanne is a 17th-century Baroque castle located in the Jeker Valley, just southwest of Maastricht in the Netherlands, close to the Belgian village of Kanne. It is the only terraced castle in the Netherlands, built against the slope of the Cannerberg, with reconstructed Baroque terraced gardens. Today, the castle houses the renowned restaurant Château Neercanne.

The site has a long history, possibly dating back to Roman defensive structures. Underground limestone quarries beneath the castle, now used as wine cellars and dining rooms, are several millennia old. The earliest recorded mention of a castle here dates from 1316, when it was known as Agimont. Over the centuries, the castle changed hands frequently and suffered destruction during regional conflicts, including attacks by forces from Liège in the 15th century.

In 1698, the castle was largely rebuilt by Daniël Wolff, Baron van Dopff, then military commander and later governor of Maastricht. He replaced much of the medieval structure with an elegant pleasure palace in the style of Dutch Classicism. The castle welcomed notable guests, including Tsar Peter the Great in 1717, and later served as headquarters for French General Kléber during the siege of Maastricht in 1794.

After the formation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1814, the castle remained Dutch territory despite nearby border changes following the Belgian Revolution. The last private resident left in the mid-20th century. In 1947, the neglected castle was acquired by Het Limburgs Landschap foundation and restored in several phases.

Since 1955, Château Neercanne has functioned as an exclusive restaurant. It gained international recognition when European leaders dined there during the 1991 Maastricht Summit. Recent renovations (2023–2024) focus on sustainability and include the addition of a small luxury hotel with seven suites housed in the gate building.

Architecturally, the castle is largely built of local marlstone and features asymmetrical wings due to the incorporation of earlier structures. A central staircase marked by a sculpted pediment dated 1698 forms the heart of the building, reflecting its refined yet restrained classical design.

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