While the location and construction may suggest otherwise, the Hofpoort, also known as the Bospoort, is not part of the town walls and town gates of Vianen. The Hofpoort, together with the water pump on Hofplein, forms the last visible remains of Batestein Castle. It formed the western entrance to the castle and was built in the second half of the 17th Century on the orders of Johan Wolfert van Brederode. The Lords of Vianen use this gate as an access road to the Vianen Forest where they hunted.
The gate was built on the foundations of an irregular…
While the location and construction may suggest otherwise, the Hofpoort, also known as the Bospoort, is not part of the town walls and town gates of Vianen. The Hofpoort, together with the water pump on Hofplein, forms the last visible remains of Batestein Castle. It formed the western entrance to the castle and was built in the second half of the 17th Century on the orders of Johan Wolfert van Brederode. The Lords of Vianen use this gate as an access road to the Vianen Forest where they hunted.
The gate was built on the foundations of an irregular mediaeval building and is largely made of brickwork. The decoration, which is still clearly visible on the left side of the gate, refers to hunting in the Vianen Forest. The spheres on the gate bars are mediaeval projectiles for a trebuchet (a large catapult-type throwing device). Two dogs on either side of the gate hold shields that used to bear the Brederodes coat of arms. One of the original dogs was lost for many years after it fell into the canal in a collision in 1960. Eventually, it was found again in the canal. The top of the gate was recently completely restored after a collision with a truck.
Further reading: Town wall and town canal, Brederode statue, Batestein Castle, Hofplein water pump, Amaliastein.
