Huis Bergh (Huis Bergh) is one of the largest castles in the Netherlands. It gives its name to the Land van den Bergh and was previously owned by the counts van Bergh.
The castle history dates back to the 13th century. The main parts of the castle are from the 14th, 15th and 17th century. In the beginning of the Dutch Revolt the house got damaged by war. In 1735 the castle burned down.
In 1912 Huis Bergh and all belongings became the property of Jan Herman van Heek, an industrialist from Enschede. He restored the buildings. In 1939 there was another major fire. Thanks to the help of locals most of the furniture was rescued. Renovation began the same year and was completed in 1941.
Huis Bergh contains a collection of early Italian paintings, one famous example of which is a panel from the Maestà of Duccio, which was added to the castle's collection in the 19th century. In addition to a portrait of Erasmus by Holbein Huis Bergh has an extraordinary collection of medieval handwritings.
References:House of the Blackheads (Melngalvju nams) is a building situated in the old town of Riga. The original building was erected during the first third of the 14th century for the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried German merchants in Riga. Major works were done in the years 1580 and 1886, adding most of the ornaments.
The structure was bombed to a ruin by the Germans June 28, 1941 and the remains demolished by the Soviets in 1948. The current reconstruction was erected from 1995 to 1999. Today the House of Blackheads serves as a museum and sometimes concert hall.