Netherlands > Castle De Haar

The weekend is already over. We slept very well last night, which was definitely needed after such an effort. Breakfast this morning was excellent again. Today there was also a croissant included. After breakfast, we say goodbye to the hostess and thank her for her hospitality. Before heading home, we visit Castle de Haar in Haarzuilen. We want to take a scenic route through Loosdrecht. We drive along the path we walked yesterday. Near Oud Loosdrecht, the N403 road over the dike through the Loosdrechtse Plassen is closed. We hadn’t expected that. The detour leads us back to Vreeland. From there, we drive to Breukelen and finally to Castle de Haar. We arrive just in time for our 11 o’clock time slot, which is when the castle opens its doors to the public. After passing the ticket office and walking into the park, we see the enormous Castle de Haar. What a magnificent sight. The castle is reflected in the water of the moat. At the entrance, we hesitate about whether to take an audio tour. An employee tells us that there are attendants in every room who are happy to talk about the castle, and that an audio tour isn’t necessary.

Netherlands - De Haar Castle is the largest castle in the Netherlands

We follow her advice. The first room we enter is the Main Hall. Its size, height, and decoration are overwhelming. I look around carefully to take it all in. An attendant explains that a thousand years ago, a castle was built on this spot by order of the Van de Haar family. In 1449, Yosina van de Haar married Dirk van Zuylen. The castle passed into the hands of the Van Zuylen family but eventually fell into disrepair. For centuries, the castle was nothing more than a ruin. At the end of the 19th century, Baron Etienne van Zuylen van Nyevelt inherited the castle ruins. Together with his wife, Baroness Hélène de Rothschild, they decided to rebuild the castle. The former courtyard was covered and is now the Main Hall. The Van Zuylen family lived in France and only came to Castle de Haar in September. Around the turn of the century, the family could no longer afford the castle’s upkeep. A foundation was established, and Castle de Haar was opened to the public. The Van Zuylen family still has some private quarters in the adjacent outbuilding. In the dining room, an attendant points out the fireplace

Netherlands - The Knights Hall in De Haar Castle

. He explains that the fireplace is not real. During the rebuilding, completed in 1912, central heating with steam was already installed. The radiator is integrated into the impressive mantelpiece. The renovation was done by the famous architect Pierre Cuypers, who also designed the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Central Station. His dark interior style was not appreciated by the baroness, who had several rooms redecorated. In the various bedrooms, the different styles are clearly visible. The Knight’s Hall, designed by Cuypers, is certainly a showpiece of the castle. After viewing all the rooms, we take a spiral staircase down to the kitchen, which is the last room on the tour. Around the castle lies a large garden. We follow one of the walking routes through the park. The autumn colors of the trees are reflected in the ponds. Around half past one, we are back at the car. Castle de Haar was a beautiful conclusion to a successful weekend. We drive back home.