Deep in the Zandenbos forest near Nunspeet, in the Dutch province of Gelderland, once stood a strange, imposing, and now‑legendary building: Het Ronde Huis — The Round House.
Its circular design, secluded location, and unusual history have fed decades of speculation. But it’s not just the building itself that fascinates people — it’s the dark conspiracy theories that took root long after the house was gone.
I recently visited the location to investigate for my YouTube channel. What I found and what my thermal imaging camera recorded was unsettling enough to make me understand why the legends refuse to die and that there might be some truth to them after all…
The Conspiracy Theories Het Ronde Huis – Wild and Disturbing
Before going further, it’s important to stress a legal disclaimer: these are claims and rumors only. No credible historical evidence has ever confirmed them, and multiple researchers have openly challenged their accuracy. What follows is a summary of what people have said, not what has been proven. Often, where there is smoke…
Occult Ceremonies in the Forest of The Round House
One of the most persistent rumors is that The Round House was a ritual site for occult gatherings.
According to local legends and conspiracy discussions, Frank van Vlotenl, the wealthy man who built the estate in 1906, allegedly invited carefully chosen guests to take part in ceremonies inspired by Germanic paganism.
The rituals were said to honor Wodan, the god of war, wisdom, and death in ancient mythology. Witnesses in these stories describe hooded participants chanting in the woods or inside the house, sometimes around a central ceremonial altar.
Some say these events took place in secret underground rooms, though no confirmed evidence of such rooms has been found.
Exploitation and “Ritual” Abuse Allegations The Round House
The most unsettling theory suggests that vulnerable young women, sometimes described as orphans, runaways, or prostitutes, were brought to The Round House under deceptive pretenses.
Conspiracy accounts claim these women were forced to participate in ritualized sexual acts for the gratification of certain attendees.
Some of the most extreme (and unproven) claims go further, alleging that symbolic sacrifices took place, not necessarily in the literal sense of ancient pagan killings, but as part of staged, highly theatrical ceremonies designed to mimic ancient rites.
These allegations have never been substantiated, but their disturbing nature has made them central to the building’s mythos.
Ritual Abuse and “Breeding Programs” at The Round House
Perhaps the most disturbing theory alleges that The Round House was used for ritualized sexual abuse, not simply as part of pleasure‑seeking depravity, but as part of a deliberate “breeding program” designed to create children for occult purposes.
In this version:
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Vulnerable women (runaways, orphans, prostitutes) were targeted and brought to the estate
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They were allegedly impregnated, with the children either raised in secret or disposed of to hide the evidence
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Some believe these children were seen as “gifts” or “offerings” to the group’s gods or spirits
This theory overlaps with modern satanic panic narratives and is considered highly implausible by historians, but it persists.
Could the Legends Still Influence Rituals Today?
Because of these persistent rumors, the site of The Round House has become a kind of modern-day folklore landmark. In paranormal and occult communities, locations with this type of reputation often become ritual focal points.
It’s not unusual for occultists, neo-pagans, or ritual magicians to seek out places associated with mystery, power, or taboo history.
I mean, it drew me there to film my paranormal investigation video. I wanted to find out what it was like there, and I did! I won’t go back, at least, not alone.
Secret Tunnels and Hidden Chambers Under The Round House and Throughout The Forest
A popular thread in the conspiracy lore is the idea of hidden tunnels and chambers beneath the house and forest.
Theorists speculate these tunnels were used for:
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Moving people unseen to and from the estate
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Smuggling or hiding materials linked to the alleged ceremonies
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Disposing of “evidence” related to darker activities
While many historic estates in Europe do have cellars or tunnels, no physical proof has surfaced that such a system existed at The Round House. Yet hikers sometimes report stumbling upon depressions or unusual mounds in the ground that they believe mark the collapsed entrances to these supposed passages.
*I have to agree with other hikers, when you watch my video, I’ll show you some of these depressions and areas where it really seems tunnels have collapsed in areas near and around where the house was. Watch and you decide.
Disappearances and Missing Persons Lore
A particularly grim claim involves alleged disappearances of young women in the surrounding Veluwe area during the early 20th century.
Conspiracy narratives suggest these disappearances were connected to The Round House’s supposed activities, painting the location as a trap for the unwary.
Again, no documented police records directly link the house to any missing persons cases. But the theory remains embedded in local ghost lore, giving the area an even darker reputation.
Elite Involvement
Some of the more sensational accounts hint that members of the elites attended these gatherings. This is one of the most controversial and legally sensitive claims.
The Source of the Rumors
Much of the conspiracy lore appears to trace back to a single individual — Johan Montenberg — a charismatic local storyteller who kept an old tram cart from the estate and regaled visitors with tales of decadence, cruelty, and the supernatural. While his stories were vivid and captivating, researchers have pointed out that they were not supported by documented facts.
The Known History of The Round House
Set against these rumors is the documented history.
- Built in 1906 by Frank van Vloten as a country estate
- Perfectly circular three‑story design with glass dome and wraparound balcony
- Private narrow‑gauge railway connecting the property to Nunspeet station
- Landscaped gardens, ponds, and exotic plants imported from abroad
The Round House served many functions over the decades.
During World War I, Van Vloten employed Belgian refugees as laborers.
In World War II, the Dutch Labour Service used it as a work camp, and late in the war, German troops reportedly used the area as a rocket launch site for experimental V‑4 “Rheinbote” rockets targeting Antwerp.
After the war, the estate was taken over by Staatsbosbeheer (Dutch Forestry Service) and used for social housing and later as a children’s holiday camp named De Boshaven.
By the 1960s, the building was in a state of serious decline. In 1967, The Round House was demolished. Today, only faint traces of its existence remain.
Why the Land Is Considered Haunted
Over the years, hikers and locals have reported:
- Sudden temperature drops
- Strange noises or footsteps in the forest when no one else is nearby
- Shadow‑like figures moving between trees
- A feeling of being watched or followed
- People in dark clothing and hoods acting strangely in the area
- Aged female underclothing found
- It’s rumored that a young girl’s body was found in the early 1900s
Even without hard evidence, these experiences, coupled with the conspiracy stories, have given the location a powerful aura of mystery.
My Investigation – and the Cloaked Figure
I wanted to see for myself if there was anything to the legends, so I visited the site in the very early morning. I tried to visit before sunrise, but I kept getting delayed for one reason or another. In the end, I am thinkful I did not arrive while it was still dark. Because something or someone was there waiting for me. At first, the forest was hushed and very misty, unnaturally so, and my EMF meter began spiking in areas of dead trees, which were laid in a very strange circle.
The most disturbing moment came when I swept my thermal imaging camera across the trees. I saw movement, a cloaked figure‑shaped heat signature gliding behind a tree. It’s captured on camera for everyone to see!
Its outline was distinct enough to stand out from the background, yet it moved in a way that seemed almost too fluid for a normal person.
Reviewing the footage later, the shape was unmistakable. Was it a person in heavy clothing, or something stranger? I can’t say for sure, but it was unlike anything I’ve captured before.
What You Can See Today
If you visit now, the house is gone. The forest has reclaimed the land, but traces remain:
- The circular footprint where the building stood
- Overgrown garden paths
- Stone pond edges
- Remnants of the narrow‑gauge railway trackbed
- Trees planted that seem to be Redwoods
- A section of dead trees in a circle
Walking there, you’ll find beauty — and, for some, a lingering sense that the forest remembers.
Conclusion – Between History and Legend
The Round House stands at the crossroads of fact and folklore.
The verified history tells of a unique architectural project, wartime occupation, and eventual demolition.
The rumors tell of elite depravity, occult rites, and dark deeds.
What I can say from personal experience is this: the land still has an energy to it. And whatever that cloaked figure on my thermal camera was, it adds one more layer to an already tangled mystery. It may be the proof that the location really is cursed and haunted!
Watch my Video on YouTube here and be sure to subscribe to my channel!
The rest, all of the conspiracy theories, are speculation and rumor, but as they say, where there’s smoke…
