Jaap van 't Veen's photos

Huis Doorn (House Doorn) has a rich history, beginning as a medieval moated castle built in the 13th century. After several renovations, it was restored again in the 17th century and converted into the current country house in 1872. However, its most famous period began in 1920, when the exiled German Emperor Wilhelm II bought it and lived there in exile until his death in 1941. After World War II, Huis Doorn and its contents were confiscated by the Dutch government and it became a national museum. The interior of the house has not been changed since Wilhelm II died.

Deventer is one of the oldest Dutch cities, founded around the year of 768 by the English missionary Lebuinus. It became city rights in 956, after which fortifications were built around the city. Due to its position along the river IJssel the city was a flourishing trade centre between 1000 and 1500. Around 1500 the city joined the Hanseatic League, which brought more wealth and prosperity. The Bergkwartier (Hill Quarter) is the most picturesque neighborhood of Deventer. The area is characterized by narrow cobblestone streets and historic buildings (among them the oldest brick house of the city). The quarter is located on a river dune at the junction of the former Schipbeek and the IJssel. At the top of the hill - almost 15 meters above sea level - stands de the Sint-Nicolaaskerk (locally known as the Bergkerk).

Beekbergerwoud was once the last primeval forest in the Netherlands. For more than 8,000 years, trees grew luxuriantly here in the wet, marshy landscape. Until 1871, when the last tree was felled and the area was transformed into agricultural land with meadows and fields. Natuurmonumenten - a Dutch society for Preservation of Nature Monuments - was able to purchase this area and has been working to restore nature since 2006. This has created a varied area with grasses, reeds, shrubs and trees. In recent years, the terrain has developed back into a marsh landscape. Due to the high water levels and the many pools and ponds, it is wet and marshy. The changes in the landscape are clearly visible when you compare photos of the Beekbergerwoud today with those from 2010: www.ipernity.com/doc/294067/18593417 .

Kasteel Staverden (Staverden Castle) was frequently used as a hunting lodge by the Dukes of Gelre. Since 1400 there were feudal lords living at Staverden Castle, who had to preserve and defend the castle. They also were charged with the duty of keeping white peacocks. The peacock feathers were used to adorn the duke's tournament helmet. There are still white peacocks on the grounds and the castle has a wind vane in the shape of a white peacock. White peacocks still live at Staverden, in a peacock cage a few hundred meters from the castle. Kasteel Staverden is also called Witte Pauwenburcht (White Peacock Castle). The castle gardens of Staverden are among the most beautiful in the Netherlands. It offers flower beds, elegant water features and centuries-old trees. The gardens are designed in a classic English landscape style. In a large geometric garden laid out in 1907 - one can find ‘of course’ a sculpture of two peacocks. It is unclear how old the sculpture is and who created it; it may have been on the estate for much longer. This sandstone statue on a tall square pedestal is an official Dutch national monument.

Kasteel Rosendael (Rosendael Castle) is mentioned as early as the year of 1314. The castle came into the hands of the counts and later dukes of Gelre. Of the twenty castles in the dukedom, Rosendael was the favourite of many dukes, because of its beautiful location on the edge of the Veluwe moraine. The large medieval complex originally consisted of an irregular four-sided corps de logis with a circular donjon as its south-west corner tower. In 1722 a square house was built abutting the big tower. The side wing and coach house were built a century later. The round eye-catching donjon is about 19 meters and high and has a diameter of 16 meters. Its walls - up to 4 meters thick - are the thickest in the Netherlands. Although it is the highest tower of its kind in the Netherlands, it was originally twice as high. After the counts and dukes of Gelre, the castle became the property of drost (state-holder) Willem van Scherpenzeel. After that Kasteel Rosendael came into the hands of various noble families, who occupied it for almost 400 years. During World War II the castle was hit by an American bomb. It ceased to be a private residence in 1977 when Baron van Pallandt died and the estate was handed over to the foundation Geldersch Landschap en Kasteelen . The castle and garden were fully restored and since 1989 open to the public.

Kasteel Cannenburch (Cannenburch Castle) was built in 1543 by a well known Dutch field marshal, Maarten van Rossum (also Marten van Rossem). He constructed a country house - in the style of the Dutch Renaissance - on the spot of a medieval castle. The medieval Cannenburch Castle is located in a beautiful old park with meadows and an orchard. The park covers 24 hectares and features winding paths, avenues lined with oak and beech trees, waterways and ponds. Since the 1950’s Kasteel Cannenburch and surrounding park are owned and managed by the Stichting Geldersch Landschap en Geldersche Kasteelen , a Dutch heritage foundation. Nowadays the castle is is a Dutch national monument.

Het Leesten - meaning “small valley” or “gully” - is located on the Veluwe on a height of about 50 meters. This region was pushed up during the Ice Age, and Het Leesten lies in a valley that was created after the ice melted. The landscape has a rich history. There are places where gravel and sand used to be extracted, and gullies can be seen that are reminiscent of iron mining in the Middle Ages. There are also traces of former human habitation, including a burial mound from Roman times. Het Leesten is nowadays a nature reserve - managed by Staatsbosbeheer , a Dutch government organization for forestry and the management of nature reserves - that is characteristic for the Veluwe. The landscape offers a unique combination of nature and history.

At the end of the 19th century large pieces of the estate Berg en Bosch were bought by the Belgian merchant J.C. Wils (there is still a J.C Wilslaan in Apeldoorn). He had conifers planted, which were used for mining. After his death, the municipality of Apeldoorn bought the site. Part of it was used for the construction of a residential area; the other part remained available as a walking forest for city residents and tourists. In the twenties of the 20th century the first initiatives for Park Berg & Bos were made. During the crisis years (1934) the large pond called Bosvijver was dug by hand by unemployed workers from the municipality as a procuring of employment project.

Landgoed Schovenhorst (Schovenhorst Estate) was intended as an arboretum and laboratory for research into species of trees from all over the world. In 1848 its founder, J.H. Schober, bought a piece of heathland from the municipality of Putten. He imported seeds from every corner of the globe for researching whether or not they would grow in the Veluwe region. Nowadays Schovenhorst is well known for its five tree gardens. The estate consists of a small and large pinetium (a conifer garden), an arboretum and a three continents forest. Among the trees are giant redwoods, firs and cedars. The estate is open (free of charge) for walks. The main image shows a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) from Californië. This tree was planted around the year 1900 and is approximately 40 metres tall.

The Oranjepark is the oldest park in Apeldoorn and was officially opened on 13 May 1876. In 1874, Hendrik Christiaan van der Houven van Oordt - he was, among other things, what we now call a project developer - purchased the local estate “De Pasch”. Building plots had been marked out on the site of the Oranjepark . Van der Houven van Oordt had another plan drawn up, which also included a walking park, to make the sale of the plots more attractive. In 1875, he transferred the land for the park and the surrounding roads to the municipality of Apeldoorn. The landscape architects, father and son Hoogeweg, were responsible for the design of the park, which was laid out in the English landscape style. This can be seen in the curved paths, extensive lawns, groups of trees and an elongated pond. A fountain provides a splashing sound in the summer months. King Willem III of the Netherlands gave permission for the name “Oranjepark”.

Religious services had been held in an old, dilapidated farmhouse with broken interior walls at the site where the Hoog Soeren Chapel now stands since 1892. The first stone of the current chapel was laid in August 1904. On 6 November of that year, the chapel was consecrated. In 1933, the chapel underwent extensive renovation and expansion. The facades were given a (white) plaster coating and the windows were fitted with stained glass. A bequest from a resident of Hoog Soeren in 2000 made a complete renovation possible, resulting in the chapel in its current form. On Sundays during the summer months, the chapel is used for short church services. It also hosts weddings and other gatherings.

The Basilique Sainte-Thérèse-de-Lisieux (Basilica of Sainte-Thérèse of Lisieux) was founded in Romanesque-Byzantine style in memory of Sainte Thérèsede l’Enfant Jésus. Construction of the church began in 1929 and it was consecrated in 1954. The walls and ceiling of the basilica are largely covered with marble and mosaics. These vibrant works of art, created by Pierre Gaudin, depict scenes from the lives of Christ and Sainte Thérèse. The absence of columns in the immense interior provides an unobstructed view for all worshippers.

The Basilique Sainte-Thérèse-de-Lisieux (Basilica of Sainte-Thérèse of Lisieux) was founded in Romanesque-Byzantine style in memory of Sainte Thérèsede l’Enfant Jésus. Construction of the church began in 1929 and it was consecrated in 1954. The story of the Basilica of Sainte-Thérèse begins with the life of Thérèse of Lisieux, a young Carmelite nun who was canonised in 1925. Her popularity grew enormously and the need for a place of pilgrimage became apparent. In response, construction of the basilica began under the direction of the Bishop of Bayeux and Lisieux and architect Louis Marie Cordonnier. The design of the basilica is a mix of neo-Byzantine and Romanesque styles, inspired by the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Paris. The building is constructed of reinforced concrete and a local type of granite. The Basilica of Sainte-Thérèse has impressive dimensions: 104 metres long, 45 metres wide and a dome reaching a height of 97 metres. With an area of 4,500 m², it is the largest church built in France in the 20th century. The basilica can accommodate 4,000 worshippers. The construction of the Basilica of Sainte-Thérèse-de-Lisieux faced many challenges, including financial constraints and the outbreak of the Second World War, but it was finally consecrated in 1954. Today, with more than 700,000 visitors, it has become the second most important place of pilgrimage in France. For images of the amazing interior see: www.ipernity.com/doc/294067/53107306

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Lisieux (Saint Peter’s Cathedral) was the seat of the Bishop of Lisieux until the diocese of Lisieux was merged in 1801 into the diocese of Bayeux. Most probably there was already a church here in the 6th century. This is because a Bishop of Lisieux existed around that time. A previous cathedral, built in the Romanesque style, was unfortunately burned down in 1136. The basic shape of the church, especially the front part, stayed the same. Rebuilding of the cathedral started around 1160. In 1226, another fire damaged the cathedral. During the repairs three small chapels were added to the back of the church. The cathedral is about 110 meters long. It is considered a national monument in France. The front of the building has three main doorways. Above these doorways are two towers. The tower on the south side was built in the 16th century; it has a tall, pointed spire. The north tower collapsed in 1554. Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Lisieux survived World War II completely unharmed. This is quite amazing, as the town of Lisieux itself suffered from allied bombing in 1944.

The Église Saint-Denis (Church of Saint Denis) dates back to the late 12th century. It was consecrated in 1188 by Henri II, Bishop of Bayeux. Only the square Romanesque tower made of limestone remains from this period. The pyramidal roof is topped by an octagonal spire. The bell tower has been listed as a historic monument since 23 April 1921. The church was largely rebuilt in the 17th century. In the 19th century, the church was renovated and enlarged: the nave was extended, a northern chapel was demolished and the cemetery was relocated. The church was given a new high altar and a sacristy and a new presbytery were built. The interior of the church offers sixteen stained glass windows from the 20th century, evoking the history of the early Christians or historical figures such as Joan of Arc or Charlemagne.

Les Jardins du Pays d’Auge (The Gardens of the Pays d’Auge) is one of the most beautiful gardens in France; they are classified as “Jardin Remarquable”. The gardens are dating back to the year of 1994, when the owners bought a 3ha field next to their renovated farmstead. The project was very challenging since the abandoned field was covered in brambles, without a single tree or building. A landscape architect was called in to design the garden. The next three years the gardens and their Normandy-style buildings were constructed. Nowadays the Gardens of the Pays d’Auge offer a series of beautiful themed gardens; like the Sun Garden, Moon Garden, Garden of Scents, Purple Garden and Garden of Angels. Throughout the gardens there are several half-timber buildings,which have been rescued by the owners from various stages of dereliction and moved to the gardens to be restored. One of them houses a small museum.

Château de Crèvecoeur (Crèvecoeur Castle) is a unique example of a small rural country estate. The complex is surrounded by a moat and has retained its original layout in two parts. The grounds feature a group of 15th- and 16th-century agricultural half-timbered houses: the farmhouse, dovecote, barn and a 12th-century chapel. In the upper courtyard, accessible via a bridge, the 15th-century residence is protected by a moat and a 12th century wall with defensive loopholes. A simple garden, a sheepfold, chicken coop, bread oven and pottery kiln complete the seigniorial estate. The gatehouse originally was located at the former castle of Beuvillers (near Lisieux). It has been moved and is now used as a reception area and shop.

The market hall is an example of Norman medieval architecture and dates back to the 11th century. It was originally used by the Benedictine monks of the local abbey to sell their goods. The market hall is 70 meters long and 20 meters wide and is among the largest halls in France. The structure was listed as a historical monument the 6 March 1889. The hall was completely destroyed by fire during the German withdrawal from the area in the summer of 1944 and was restored and inaugurated in 1949 in accordance with medieval construction techniques. Nowadays the market hall still retains its commercial vocation by hosting the authentic Monday morning market and several annual fairs.