Slot Doddendael is a medieval castle, surrounded by a moat. The moat was built in the fourteen-thirties. It was probably named after the lisdodde (reed mace or bulrush), a type of reed with distinctive, cigar-shaped spikes, which still abound in the marshy environment.
Charles van Gelre
The castle had already been in the possession of various families when the Van Stepraedt family bought it in 1489 for 4,000 gold guilders. In 1526 they sold Doddendael to Duke Charles of Gelre, who used it as a base. In that same year, people of Nijmegen went on the rampage by boat, plundering the castle and setting it on fire. In 1528 the Van Stepraedt family bought it back, in its burnt state, and started on the restoration.
Eighty Years War
In 1585 the castle was occupied by the Spanish. During the Siege of Nijmegen, Prince Maurits recaptured the castle and set it on fire again. After this fire, only the heavy base walls remained standing. Tirelessly, the Van Stepraedt family resumed the restoration.
Conventicle
The Van Stepraedt family stopped using the restored castle as a main residence in the middle of the 17th century. When the practice of Roman Catholicism was banned, they made the castle vault available as a conventicle. Roman Catholics in the area secretly attended mass here. Remnants of the conventicle can still be seen.
Party venue
The last extensive restoration of Slot Doddendael took place in 1977. Since then, it has been a popular and much-used backdrop for parties, dinners, weddings, meetings and conferences.
