The Utrechtse Heuvelrug is a national park of great natural beauty and a long history of habitation. The earliest traces of human activity here date back more than 30,000 years. This has contributed to an exceptionally rich cultural history, with everything from prehistoric burial mounds and characteristic tobacco sheds to the castles of the Kromme Rijn region and lush country estates making up the Stichtse Lustwarande. The region was part of the Flethite ‘gau’ in the Middle Ages, a period that saw the emergence of numerous farming villages. Later, many of the magnificent stately houses nestled in the rolling landscape were built on the site of medieval castles.Discover the myriad medieval sights in the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park.g.