# Almere Castle

- **Country:** the Netherlands
- **Location Text:** Almere, Flevoland

Almere Castle is a distinctive, unfinished structure located in Almere Haven within the province of Flevoland, Netherlands. Situated on the Oude Waterlandseweg, the building is prominently visible to travelers on the nearby A6 motorway. Construction of the castle began in September 2000, with an architectural design heavily inspired by the historic 13th-century Jemeppe Castle in Hargimont, Belgium. Although originally estimated to cost 60 million guilders, the projected budget eventually doubled to 120 million guilders before financial difficulties forced a complete halt to construction activities in 2002. Since that time, the site has remained in a state of suspended development, often described as a contemporary ruin.

The property has seen various ownership changes and redevelopment proposals over the last two decades. In 2005, the company Gravin BV acquired the site with intentions to create a hotel, wedding venue, and residential housing, though municipal zoning approvals were denied in 2008. Later, between 2013 and 2018, there were ambitious plans to transform the location into an amusement park known as WitchWorld. Despite securing an option to purchase the castle for 20 million euros, these efforts ultimately failed due to an inability to secure necessary financing, leaving the project abandoned once again.

Beyond its architectural and financial history, Almere Castle has generated local folklore regarding its sudden cessation of work. While official records cite economic insolvency as the primary cause for the stoppage, local legends suggest a more supernatural reason. Some residents claim that malevolent spirits inhabiting the unfinished structure were responsible for the deaths of construction workers, forcing the project to end. Today, the castle stands as a unique landmark in the Dutch landscape, representing both modern architectural ambition and the complexities of large-scale development failures.

![Photo of Almere Castle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Kasteel_Almere_2a.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almere_Castle (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)