Castles and Country Houses
The Other Holland has its fair share of castles and country houses, which reveal seven centuries of rich history. Some of them are open to visitors, allowing you to see the way the famous ‘home’ owners lived their extravagant lives, the architecture and the art of bygone times; others can only be admired from the outside. But virtually all of them form part of expansive country estates and splendid natural landscapes where you can experience a time gone by.
Museum Paleis Het Loo - Renewed & Renovated
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Rich and royal past
Members of the House of Orange-Nassau lived and worked at Paleis Het Loo for over 300 years. What began as a hunting lodge for a ‘stadtholder’ grew to become a palace for a king. It was renovated and modernized, art was collected and a garden designed. The Oranges received their guests there, for business and pleasure. Therefor the gardens and stables were designed with care. The horses got their royal accommodation, nearby the Coach houses with carriages. The gardens were the place to parade and enjoy the exotic plants and flowers. This rich and royal past can be seen at Paleis Het Loo.
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The palace gardens
The gardens of Paleis Het Loo are fully reconstructed and look like the Baroque Dutch garden in the time of the first residents, King-Stadtholder Willem III and his wife Mary Stuart II, the first residents of Paleis Het Loo. A symmetrical garden with lots of parterres, impressive fountains and historic planting. Historical as well as contemporary flowers give each season a special atmosphere to the Palace Gardens.
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Paleis Het Loo in 2022
The renewed, renovated and improved palace is finished in 2022. Visitors are treated to a warm reception in a regal setting. The House of Orange and the Junior Palace present engaging visuals and information, the palace rooms will have been completely renovated and the temporary exhibition space has its first presentation. The gardens, stables and palace will once again be a unified and compelling whole. Museum Paleis Het Loo is ready for the future.
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For groups
Paleis Het Loo has a special reduced admission fee for groups (from 20 persons) and garden tours with interesting stories and facts. The tours are available in Dutch, English, German and French. During this tour you will learn everything about how the residents used to enjoy themselves in the palace gardens. Complete your visit with a delicious coffee and/or lunch arrangement in the Prins Hendrik Garage on the Stables Square. From a full Thé Complèt to a royal Princesses Lunch.
Castles and historic houses
The Dutch province of Gelderland has many castles and historic houses. Seven of the castles managed by the Gelderland Trust for Natural Beauty and Historic Houses are open to the public: Ammersoyen, Cannenburch, Doorwerth, Hernen, Rosendael, Verwolde and Zypendaal. You can visit the estates with their houses and castles and experience the atmosphere as they have been in their glory days. At Hernen you can explore the impressive bare medieval castle with a magic lantern and join the young married couple that refurbished it in 1544.
Activities
In addition to guided tours, the castles play host to various expositions, performances and other events. Many of the castles also form a rich backdrop for commercial events and meetings. All of these activities allow a broad audience to actively learn about our architectural traditions and the bygone castle culture and lifestyle. Many visitors take guided tours of the castles and a lot of people attend a concert, wedding ceremony or special event in these castles each year. The other 28 castles and country homes managed by the Gelderland Trust for Natural Beauty and Historic Houses are leased as private homes, visitor centres and party centres.
Definitely worth a visit
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Rosendael Park and Castle
Rosendael Park and Castle
Rosendael Castle (Park en Kasteel Rosendael), the former residence of the Dukes of Guelders, is decorated in period style. The 'Bedriegertjes' fountain, the shell gallery and the teahouse are highlights of the surrounding park.
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Cannenburch Castle
Cannenburch Castle
Cannenburch is a castle with medieval origins that can be found in Vaassen, surrounded by an ancient wooded park with meadows and ponds. The castle’s historical setting is relatively intact.
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Doorwerth Castle
Doorwerth Castle
Doorwerth Castle is one of the longest-standing castles in the Netherlands. Inside the castle, history comes alive. Experience the Middle Ages in the Knights' Hall and shudder at the spiked ceiling in the prison.