Kasteel Brederode (better known as Ruïne van Brederode) was founded in the second half of the 13th century by Willem I van Brederode. He was a descendant of the lords Van Teylingen, who were related to the counts of Holland. The castle formed part of the high lordship Brederode, which had been given in loan in the 13th century to the lords of Brederode by the count of Holland.

The name Brederode is a reference to a wooded area called Brede Roede (literally: broad wood), which was cleared and where the castle was built. In its early days the castle was nothing more than a tower. In the year 0f 1300 Dirk II van Brederode had the tower pulled down and replaced it with a more appropriate castle.
The castle remained in the possession of the Brederode family until the year of 1679, when Wolfert, last lord of Brederode, died. The ruins became property of the States of Holland and the Dutch Republic. In the 19th century the ruins were one of the first buildings to be restored by the government and they became the first national monument of the Netherlands.

The ruins can be visted, but have limited opening hours; reason why I couldn’t take more and other pictures.