Nederland: kastelen en buitenplaatsen

Oldengaerde is a so called havezate - manor or fortified house - and the original building dates back to 1420. It was built by Reynolt van Echten and inhabited by the Van Echten family till 1660. That year it was sold to its son in law Cornelis van Dongen. In 1717 his son completely renovated Oldengaerde; the front became an extra floor and the current remarkable classicist façade. The garden was also constructed in a classicist French garden style. In 1808 ‘Havezate Oldengaerde’ was purchased by Aalt Willem van Holthe; the house kept in the possession of this family for many years. During the 19th century new renovations took place, the major one was the lowering of the roof timber and the replacement of the gable by a pediment. The owners of Oldengaerde - four daughters of Mrs. Willinge-Westra van Holthe - decided at the end of 2013 to hand over the management of the ‘havezate’ to ‘Het Drentse Landschap’, a provincial foundation for preservation of nature and cultural heritage. Oldengaerde nowadays is home to, among others, two holiday homes. Part of the manor remains in use by the original owners.

Huis te Echten (Echten Manor) is a so called havezate (fortified house, homestead, court or farm of a nobelman). As early as the 13th century, there is mentioned a hofstat (homestead, large house with land) belonging to Volker van Echten, a descendant of the viscounts of Coevorden. It is not certain whether this hofstat was the later Huis te Echten . Parts of the current house probably date from the 15th century. A moat around the building dates from before 1700. The house was probably converted into a house around a courtyard with two wings in the early 18th century. Due to a later renovation in 1808, many older building elements disappeared. Later, parts of the building were added on the north and south sides. Huis te Echten was inhabited until 1971 by the families Van Echten and Van Holthe tot Echten. After the death of the last Mr Van Echten, his daughter Anna Geertruida married Rudolph Otto van Holthe in 1802, who started calling himself Van Holthe tot Echten. Their descendants continued to inhabit the manor. The house was restored from 1976 to 1981. From 1975 to 2023, Stichting Visio - a foundation for visually and mentally handicapped people, was housed in Huis te Echten .

Limburg, Eijsden - Kasteel Eijsden/Castle Eijsden. The 17th century renaissance style castle is one of the top 100 buildings in the Netherlands.

Kasteel Eijsden (Eijsden Castle) is as a matter of fact a moated manor house. The first building at this site was probably some kind of fortified farm, called the “Caestertburg” or the “Borg”. The current castle was built in 1636-1637 by Arnold de Lamargelland is located just south of the village of Eijsden next to the river Maas. The house was renovated in 1767 and restored at the end of the 19th century. It is made up out of two angled wings with a heavy cornertower. The eastwing has another towerlike building with a gate towrds the inner square. The castle - built in Mosan renaissance-style - is surrounded by a moat. Next to the castle is a gatebuilding, built in 1649 when a fire destroyed the earlier buildings. They were restored between 1883 and 1885. By inheritance the Kasteel Eijsden was owned successively by the noble families Van Hoensbroeck, De Geloes and De Liedekerke, who are the current owners of the castle. It is a Dutch national monument and is part of the Top 100 Dutch heritage sites. The castle is not open for visitors, but the castle park, created around 1900, is freely accessible.

Kasteel Eijsden (Eijsden Castle) is as a matter of fact a moated manor house. The first building at this site was probably some kind of fortified farm, called the “Caestertburg” or the “Borg”. The current castle was built in 1636-1637 by Arnold de Lamargelland is located just south of the village of Eijsden next to the river Maas. The house was renovated in 1767 and restored at the end of the 19th century. It is made up out of two angled wings with a heavy cornertower. The eastwing has another towerlike building with a gate towrds the inner square. The castle - built in Mosan renaissance-style - is surrounded by a moat. Next to the castle is a gatebuilding, built in 1649 when a fire destroyed the earlier buildings. They were restored between 1883 and 1885. By inheritance the Kasteel Eijsden was owned successively by the noble families Van Hoensbroeck, De Geloes and De Liedekerke, who are the current owners of the castle. It is a Dutch national monument and is part of the Top 100 Dutch heritage sites. The castle is not open for visitors, but the castle park, created around 1900, is freely accessible. I have visited Eijsden Castle several times before, but never in winter conditions. Glad I was just there during a few cold days and even the sun also just broke through the clouds.

Estate Oud Groevenbeek was acquired by Jacob Hendrik van Schermbeek at the beginning of the 20th century. He He had an existing house demolished and replaced it by a new, much larger house, which was built in 1907-1908 in Art Nouveau style to a design by the architects L.A. van Essen and J. van Zeggeren from Harderwijk. Around this period, in the immediate vicinity of the manor house and a farm, a number of outbuildings were also constructed, such as a gardener's house, a coach house and a greenhouse complex with a flower and grape greenhouse PiP5), which offers grapevines up to 90 years old. These buildings are located within a park-like layout that was inspired by the English landscape style and which incorporated the existing lanes and historical field complexes. The park layout was probably designed by Jacob van Schermbeek himself with the garden architect Copijn as advisor. Another striking element is the castle-like water tower (PiP6), which was built in 1912 on an artificially created hill. It was taken out of use in 1950 and restored in 1994. Oud Groevenbeek estate remained in the possession of the family for a considerable time. In 1968, when the estate had fallen into disrepair, it was sold by the then owner P.A. van Schermbeek to Natuurmonumenten (Society for Preservation of Nature Monuments in the Netherlands). This society has restored this Dutch national monument completely in the old style and ina perfect condition. Nowadays it is possible to rent one of the holiday suites in Oud Groevenbeek.

Kasteel Geldrop (Geldrop Castle) - dating back to the year of 1350 - is located right in the center of Geldrop. A beautiful English garden - created at the end of the 10th century - with some exotic trees surrounds the castle. Next to the castle lies the Bloemenhof , a stunning flower garden. The complex is delimited by a monumental wall. The first owners of Kasteel Geldrop were “Jan and Philip van Geldrop”, who probably built it in 1350. The following century the castle remained in the Van Geldrop family. The construction of the present day castle started in 1616, when “Amandus I van Horne” had the middle facade built. In 1768 the heirs of “Van Horne” sold the manor to “Adriaan van Sprangh”. The new Lord of Geldrop had the castle and living-tower renovated. In 1798 feudal rights ended with the French Revolution. The title of Lord of Geldrop became an empty one. In the 19th century the castle came into the hands of the “Hoevenaar” family. Under the ownership of “Sara Hoevenaar”, in 1840 the medieval living tower was demolished. During “Hubertus Hoevenaar” the castle got its present look. His daughter “Arnaudina” married baron “Van Tuyll van Serooskerken”. They lived in the castle permanently from 1912. Nowadays Kasteel Geldrop is used for weddings, concerts and exhibitions. The latter have limited openning hours. Since 30 December 1996 the Stichting Landgoed Kasteel Geldrop (a foundation) owns the castle, the outbuildings and the more than 11 hectares of parkland. Before that, the estate had been in the possession of the municipality of Geldrop (then not yet merged with Mierlo) for 22 years.

‘Kasteel Gemert’ (Caslte Gemert) is dating back to the year of 1391. It was inhabited by knights of the German Order and was built by order of Commander Hendrik Reinaart van Husen.. Originally the castle was a defensible fortress. From the 14th to the 20th century it was often renovated and extended. In 1740 the (current) new main building was constructed, consisting of three wings surrounding a courtyard. In 1794, the French took possession of the castle and the German Order was dissolved by order of Napoleon Bonaparte. At the end of the 19th century the castle and grounds were sold to Jesuits. Afterwards it was used as a monastery by the Congregation of the Holy Spirit; they built a chapel on the grounds. Due to a lack of new recruits, the brotherhood finally left the castle a couple of years ago. Nowadays the castle is owned by a private investment company and is waiting for a new future. There were restorations on the main buildings going on during our visit (November 2015). The grounds were closed and I only could make a picture of the drawbridge and the 17th century gatehouse.

Kasteel Weldam/Castle Weldam is located between Goor and Diepenheim. The present castle was built in 1645 and was expanded with towers in 1897 and 1899.

The history of the estates in ‘s-Graveland dates back to the year of 1625 (during the Dutch Golden Age). In that year wealthy Amsterdam merchants did get permission to cultivate an area west of Hilversum The sandy soil was excavated and transported by boat to Amsterdam, where it was used for the expansion of the city. On the way back, the ships took manure and rubbish with them to enrich the infertile soil of 's-Graveland. Initially farms were founded on the lots and leased to farmers. Later several estates were created with country houses with park-like gardens. Two of the plots came into the hands of “Jan van Hellemond”, a very wealthy husband of “Margaret van Raephorst”. In 1654 the couple built a luxurious country estate called De Hooge Dreuvik . After Jan's death (1665) Margaret inherited the estate. Two years later she married with Cornelis Tromp - famous Dutch admiral - who became the owner of the estate. But the manor - like many others in ‘s-Graveland - were looted and burned by the French during the Dutch War in 1672. The country house was rebuilt from 1675 to 1684 by Tromp, who called it Sillisburgh , after one of his titles. Around 1720 “Jacob Roeters” came into possession of the estate and renamed it Trompenburgh . The house is almost entirely surrounded by water and was built to resemble a ship, even with decks and railings. Of the many manors in 's-Graveland Trompenburgh is the most elegant. Nowadays Trompenburgh is owned by Stichting Monumenten Bezit , a Dutch foundation acting as a national management organisation for monuments and/or buildings of cultural and historical value. The estate is not open for visitors.

In the year of 1625 rich Amsterdam merchants did get permission to cultivate an area west of Hilversum – nowadays called 's-Graveland. The sandy soil was excavated and transported by boat to Amsterdam, where it was used for the expansion of the city. Initially farms were founded on the lots. Later several estates were created, covering a manor in a large park and a farmhouse with pastures and fields. One of these estates is Boekesteyn, where the first owner Benedict Schaeck built a farm. Early 18th century the property was sold and on a map of 1725 a house is already marked. Around the year of 1750 the estate got its name “Boekesteyn”, probably named after the many beech trees on the property (boeke = beuk = beech); the lawn at the front of the manor still has some of these historic beeches. Huis Boekesteyn was built twenty years later by Solomon Dedel. During a renovation and expansion in 1915 it got the present tower and conservatory. In 1992 the estate is purchased by Natuurmonumenten, a Dutch nature organization. Nowadays Boekesteyn is one of the more than ten estates in 's-Graveland.

The history of the estates in ‘s-Graveland dates back to the year of 1625 (during the Dutch Golden Age). In that year wealthy Amsterdam merchants did get permission to cultivate an area west of Hilversum The sandy soil was excavated and transported by boat to Amsterdam, where it was used for the expansion of the city. On the way back, the ships took manure and rubbish with them to enrich the infertile soil of 's-Graveland. Initially farms were founded on the lots and leased to farmers. Later several estates were created with country houses with park-like gardens. Jagtlust is a small country estate that historically belongs to the other estates of 's-Graveland. The original farmstead is known by various names such as Het Derde Heihuis , Groot Jan and De Laetste Stuyver . It was not until 1791 that the name Jagtlust was used. Jagtlust was built on the site of a former inn De Laetste Stuyver . Originally it was a fairly simple country house. More than 70 years after the estate Heilust was added to Jagtlust , it was given its present form in 1900. The house became a second storey, a tower-like extension with a circular staircase and an adjoining orangery. Although one of the smaller estates in 's-Graveland it has a lot to offer: an impressive manor, a large vegetable garden, all kinds of follies and a number of remarkable trees. Among them a moerascipres (Bald cypress), planted around the year of 1865. This tree has a lot of remarkable cypress knees, which is very rare in the Netherlands (PiP3). A nearby tulpenboom (Liriodendron) is even some years older. This tree was struck by lightning a few years ago and will be cut down for safety reasons (PiP4 and 5) In 2006 the estate was bought by Natuurmonumenten (Society for Preservation of Nature Monuments in the Netherlands), ensuring that the manors and their gardens can retain their grandeur. Nowadays Jagtlust is one of the ten estates in 's-Graveland.

The history of the estates in ‘s-Graveland dates back to the year of 1625 (during the Dutch Golden Age). In that year wealthy Amsterdam merchants did get permission to cultivate an area west of Hilversum The sandy soil was excavated and transported by boat to Amsterdam, where it was used for the expansion of the city. On the way back, the ships took manure and rubbish with them to enrich the infertile soil of 's-Graveland. Initially farms were founded on the lots and leased to farmers. Later several estates were created with country houses with park-like gardens. In 1634, 27 lots were raffled among interested parties. One of the lots went to “Pieter Cornelisz Hooft” and “Godert van Reede” who bought the piece of land as an investment because of the sand digging. Hooft and his wife were living on Muiderslot Castle . In 1657 “Jacob Bicker” became the owner, who had a farm, possibly as a country house. The current country house was built in 1779 - late Louis XVI-style - for “Gerrit Corver Hooft”, administrator of the West-Indische Companie (Dutch West India Company). In the following years, the geometric garden was laid out on the estate, which in the early 19th century was transformed into an English landscape-style park. In 1895, “Louise Six” inherited the estate. When she died in 1934, she bequeathed Gooilust to the Vereiniging Natuurmonumenten (Society for Preservation of Nature Monuments in the Netherlands). The park is freely accessible, but the manor itself is not.

The castle is dating back to the 13th century; the fortified tower is the only part of the original building which survived a severe fire in 1525. The castle was rebuilt in its current form in the early 17th century and much later (1973 and 1981) restored. It is now owned by ‘Vereniging Natuurmonumenten’ - a Dutch society for preservation of nature monuments. Around the year of 1200 the castle came into the possession of Floris IV, Count of Holland. In 1229 the castle went to the Lords of Zierikzee, through an exchange with Floris IV. The new inhabitants of the castle called themselves ‘Van Haemstede’. The most famous resident was ‘Witte van Haemstede’, an illegitimate son of Count Floris V. In the mid-15th century his descendants got into financial troubles. ‘Louis de Gruuthuse’, a Flemish nobleman from Bruges, became the new owner of Castle Haamstede. Slot Haamstede is situated in the heart of the village of Haamstede on the former island Schouwen-Duiveland. The castle itself is only open for visitors during special events. The castle woods are free accessible.

Kasteel de Haar (The Haar Castle) is one of the most visited castles in the Netherlands. Originally it was named Het Huys te Haer . However the current Gothic fairy-tale castle was built between 1892 and 1912 with incorporation of the large 15th century ruins of the original castle. Kasteel de Haar was first mentioned in 1391 along a blind arm of the river Rhine. Originally the owner was a member of the “Van de Haar” family. In 1449 the castle became property of the “Van Zuylen” family through the marriage between Josyna van de Haar and Dirk van Zuylen. Several families owned the castle until 1890 when baron “Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt”, inherited Kasteel de Haar (by then the castle had been in a ruinous and desolate state for almost two centuries). In 1887 Etienne had married the French baroness Helene de Rothschild (member of the extremely wealthy De Rothschild family), which enabled him to rebuilt the castle. In 1892 the rebuilding of Kasteel de Haar started under the direction of the well known Dutch architect Cuypers. It's his interpretation of the ‘medieval’ castle one can see today. The interior was rebuilt in a un-Dutch luxurious style, it was equipped with electricity and the former courtyard, covered with a large roof, was turned into an imprerssive central hall. The interior is luxuriously decorated with a large but incoherent collection of valuable antiques from all over the world. In 2000 the ownership of the castle was transferred to “Stichting Kasteel de Haar”. This foundation worked to transform the place into a museum and event center. The castle has 200 rooms - although not all of them can be visited. A couple of rooms are arranged with realistic displays to show how the castle would have looked like in his days of parties. Nowadays Kasteel de Haar is (almost) open daily for visitors.

Kasteel de Haar (The Haar Castle) is one of the most visited castles in the Netherlands. Originally it was named Het Huys te Haer . However the current Gothic fairy-tale castle was built between 1892 and 1912 with incorporation of the large 15th century ruins of the original castle. Kasteel de Haar was first mentioned in 1391 along a blind arm of the river Rhine. Originally the owner was a member of the “Van de Haar” family. In 1449 the castle became property of the “Van Zuylen” family through the marriage between Josyna van de Haar and Dirk van Zuylen. Several families owned the castle until 1890 when baron “Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt”, inherited Kasteel de Haar (by then the castle had been in a ruinous and desolate state for almost two centuries). In 1887 Etienne had married the French baroness Helene de Rothschild (member of the extremely wealthy De Rothschild family), which enabled him to rebuilt the castle. In 1892 the rebuilding of Kasteel de Haar started under the direction of the well known Dutch architect Cuypers. It's his interpretation of the ‘medieval’ castle one can see today. The interior was rebuilt in an un-Dutch luxurious style, it was equipped with electricity and the former courtyard, covered with a large roof, was turned into an imprerssive central hall. The interior is luxuriously decorated with a large but incoherent collection of valuable antiques from all over the world. In 2000 the ownership of the castle was transferred to “Stichting Kasteel de Haar”. This foundation worked to transform the place into a museum and event center. The castle has 200 rooms - although not all of them can be visited. A couple of rooms are arranged with realistic displays to show how the castle would have looked like in his days of parties. Nowadays Kasteel de Haar is (almost) open daily for visitors.

Kasteel Zwaluwenburg was first mentioned in 1326 as 'KasteelWijnbergen' and was for long time inhabited by the family Wijnbergen. The present building is dating back to 1728 and is considered being one of the most beautiful stately homes in the province of Gelderland. Zwaluwenburg is surrounded by beautiful estate grounds with woodland, fields and meadows and a couple of out buildings and farm houses. One of the most beautiful parts - especially in spring - is so called Klein Zwitserland (Little Switzerland - a rather hilly part with numerous flowering rhododendrons and azaleas: www.ipernity.com/doc/294067/27937491/in/album/537905

Huis Schouwenburg was originally a farm and was first mentioned in the beginning of the 14th century. Later it became a country house, which became its current shape between 1750 and 1760. Some parts are older: early 17th or early 18th century. The mansion and the outbuildings (coach house, service house, farm, stables) were rebuilt many times and even demolished. Huis Schouwenburg changed hands many times. It was bought by mr. J.G.W.H. baron of Sytzama in 1867, after which the estate remained in the hands of this family for more than a hundred years. In 1976 the house and part of the estate came into the possession of the Geldersch Landschap & Kasteelen , a foundation for the protection of nature and landscape in the province of Gelderland. The house and the outbuildings were bought in 2008 by private individuals, who now inhabit it.