Deurne Castle was built shortly before 1387 by Gevaert Everaertszoon van Doerne on a sandy elevation in the swampy valley of a small stream the Vlier. It was a square building with several turrets. Due to the thickness of the walls it probably didn't have a real military purpose.
In 1511 the castle was burned down by the Geldersen but was rebuilt. Only to be plundered by Spanish troops in 1599. In 1645 the bailiff Otto de Vischere rebuilt the decaying castle into an inn. In 1653 the castle was enlarged by Rogier, Baron of Leefdael, who had bought it in 1651. Around 1750 the height of the turrets was lowered; removing the spires, and part of the north wing was demolished. In 1759 the castle was bought by Theodorus de Smeth. His family also thoroughly rebuilt the castle and would own it until WW2.
During the liberation of Deurne in 1944 the castle suffered heavily from Allied fire. The remains we see today mostly date back to the 17th century.
On the other side of the road stands the predecessor of Deurne Castle; the Klein Kasteel or Oud Kasteel, which translates to the Little Castle or Old Castle. It's a 14th century tower house with added farm buildings.
References:The Jan Hus Memorial stands at one end of Old Town Square. The huge monument depicts victorious Hussite warriors and Protestants who were forced into exile 200 years after Hus, and a young mother who symbolises national rebirth. The monument was so large that the sculptor designed and built his own villa and studio where the work could be carried out. It was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Jan Hus' martyrdom. The memorial was designed by Ladislav Ĺ aloun and paid for solely by public donations.
Born in 1369, Hus became an influential religious thinker, philosopher, and reformer in Prague. He was a key predecessor to the Protestant movement of the sixteenth century. In his works he criticized religious moral decay of the Catholic Church. Accordingly, the Czech patriot Hus believed that mass should be given in the vernacular, or local language, rather than in Latin. He was inspired by the teachings of John Wycliffe.