Contributions of the group Apeldoorn

Nederland - Apeldoorn, Oranjepark

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 06:40:56 +0000

The Oranjepark is the oldest citypark in Apeldoorn and was officially opened on 13 May 1876. 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 time, I’ve taken a few photos during the unusual dry period that the Netherlands – and Apeldoorn too – was experiencing during the summer of 2026. The lawns are mostly dried out and brown. Thanks to a daily splash of water, the flowerbeds are still in full bloom.

Nederland - Apeldoorn, Het Oude Loo

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:27:29 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

Kasteel Het Oude Loo (Castle Het Oude Loo) is dating back to the early 15th century when it was a farm, which later was fortified. When it came into the possession of the Bentinck family the moated castle as we see it today was built and enlarged between 1538 and 1540. In those days it was used as a hunting lodge by Karel, Duke of Gelre.

In 1684 Prince Willem III van Oranje, Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland acquired the castle. He also used it as a hunting lodge. Soon the castle became too small for his hunting parties and he built Paleis Het Loo in 1686-88.

In 1795, when the French occupied Holland, the castle was used as a military hospital and it fell into neglect. In 1806 Napoleon Bonaparte appointed his brother Louis Napoleon as King of The Netherlands. Louis resided in the castle during summers. He filled up the moat around the castle.

In 1904 Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands ordered the restoration of the castle. This was done by the famous Dutch architect Cuypers. In the 1950's and 1960's other restoration works were carried out. Since 1968 the castle has been owned by the Dutch state. In 1973 it became a national heritage site.

Kasteel Het Oude Loo is nowadays used by the Dutch royal family as country house and guest residence. The castle itself is not open for the public, but the surrounding fenced garden/park can be visited during April and May.

Nederland - Hoog Soeren

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:01:18 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

Hoog Soeren is one of the oldest settlements in the Veluwe and originated on high dry parts of the Veluwe. The proximity of some fens made an existence here possible.

Early 9th century the village was mentioned as “Suornom” or “Suornum”. It had several other names before the village became in the mid 19th century its current name. This may be derived from the Old Saxon “sôr”, which means “dry”. Not strange as Hoog Soeren is located on a height of 85 meters, a high and dry part of the Veluwe, the largest nature area in the Netherlands.

Hoog Soeren is surrounded by the woods of the Kroondomein Het Loo (Het Loo Royal Estate) and is a protected village area. It has only three paved roads with a name, all other houses along dirt roads have as address the name of the village with a number.

Nowadays Hoog Soeren has about 250 permanent inhabitants, living in 100 houses. It has no school either a shop, but a lovely little village church, which was built in 1904.

Nederland - Apeldoorn, De Parken

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:47:46 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

De Parken is a neighbourhood of the city of Apeldoorn. This residential area arose between the old village and the small settlement around Het Loo Palace. The neighborhood is named after the more or less contiguous parks: Oranjepark, Wilhelminapark, Prinsenpark and Verzetsstrijderspark.

In the 19th century the area had three estates: De Pasch, De Vlijt and Sophia's Hoeve. From 1874 until the beginning of the 20th century, these were acquired by project developers. They built the public parks and roads and sold plots of land for the construction of villas. Most of the houses were built between 1880 and 1920.

Initially, the neighbourhood was very popular with wealthy pensioners, manufacturers and senior civil servants from the west of the Netherlands. Even today the Parkenbuurt is a very popular residential area, because of its location close to the center of Apeldoorn, but also because of the green park-like surroundings, with relatively large gardens and tree-lined streets.

Pictures: main image “Oranjepark”, PiP1 “Wilhelminapark”, PiP2 “Verzetstyrijderspark”and PiP3 “Prinsenpark”.

Nederland - Ugchelen, Het Leesten

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 08:35:40 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

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.

Nederland - Apeldoorn, Oranjepark

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 07:16:33 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

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”.

Nederland - Kapel Hoog Soeren

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 06:45:25 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

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.

Paleis Het Loo, Apeldoorn, NL

nobody@ipernity.com (polytropos) — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:09:35 +0000

polytropos has posted:

Central View

Das Schloss Het Loo (niederländisch Paleis Het Loo) ist ein ehemaliges königliches Schloss nordwestlich von Apeldoorn in den Niederlanden. Es gehört zu den bekanntesten Barockschlössern Europas und hatte architektonische Vorbildwirkung. Berühmt ist es auch für seinen Schlosspark.

(52.23321, 05.94602); [00°]

Apeldoorn, juni 2021

nobody@ipernity.com (Okke Groot) — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 17:46:35 +0000

Okke Groot has posted:

Fruytiermeisjes, Zwolseweg, Apeldoorn

Nederland - Apeldoorn, Paleispark

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 07:43:06 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

The Paleispark (Palace Park) is a part of Kroondomein Het Loo (Het Loo Royal Estate). With an area of 650 hectare the park is ideal for strolling and walking. It lies adjacent to “Het Loo Palace” and around Castle Het Oude Loo. Traditionally this park was for the relaxation of the royal residents of the palace. and their guests.

The origins of the park can be traced back to stadtholder Willem III, who purchased hunting lodge Het Oude Loo in 1684 together with 200 hectare land. “Het Loo Royal Estate” was also very important for Queen Wilhelmina. She purchased many acres of land and donated this to the State in 1959, retaining the rights of usage for the reigning monarch. This explains the name for the whole area: “Het Loo Royal Estate”.

The palace park is only a small part of “Het Loo Royal Estate”. The park features ponds, a tea pavilion (main image and PiP1), which was often used by Queen Wilhelmina, a bath-house (PiP2), a royal horse cemetery, an old shooting range, a hunting lodge and several follies. The park is open - against a small fee - the whole year round, the part around Het Oude Loo is open for visitors only during the months April and May.

Nederland - Apeldoorn, Paleis Het Loo

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 06:43:05 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

Paleis Het Loo (Het LooPalace) was built in 1686 for Stadtholder William III and his wife queen Mary. It was used for almost 300 years as a (summer) palace by members of the Dutch Royal family. Queen Wilhelmina lived here till the year of 1972. After a huge restoration palace and gardens are back in their original state. Since the year of 1984 Paleis Het Loo is a national museum and open for public.

In 2018 (again) major restoration work was necessary to ensure that the collection and the palace remain in good condition. Inside the palace was refurbished and outside the forecourt fully changed: instead of grass and a fountain there is now a wonderful water bassin, reflecting the palace. Surely the most striking thing is the expansion of the exhibition spaces underneath the new forecourt. One of them now houses the permanent presentation about the House of Orange-Nassau from Prince Willen van Oranje (1533 - 1584) till the present heir Princess Amalia (born 2003). This underground expansion of 5.000 m2 was officially opened April 2023.

Nederland - Hoenderloo, Heldringkerk

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 08:03:38 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

The Heldringkerk was built in 1857-1858, commissioned by the Reverend Ottho Gerhard Heldring. The foundation stone was laid by his daughter on 29 August 1857. The consecration of the church took place in 1858 during the feast of Pentecost. The church is one of the oldest buildings of Hoenderloo.

Heldring visited the village of Hoenderloo in 1839 and decided to offer a better future to the inhabitants, who still lived partly in sod huts. He did this by building a school, digging a well and constructing the church and clergy house.

The simple hall church - in neo-Gothic style - is characterised by plastered and white-painted facades. The church is built in a hilly area and is therefore popularly called de witte kerk op de bult (“the white church on the hill”). But the white colour was only given to the originally grey church in 1980. Since 2000 the church is a national monument.

Nederland - Hoenderloo, plaggenhut

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 08:59:34 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

Hoenderloo is a village, which only came into existence at the beginning of the 19th century on the rough lands of the Veluwe. In the spring, eekchillers went to this area to strip felled oak trees of their bark, which was used for tanning leather. The eekchillers lived with their families in temporary huts made of sods.

Heather mower and shepherd Albert Brinkenberg was the first permanent resident of Hoenderloo. He built a sod hut (a simple hut partially buried and with a roof covered with sods) between 1813 and 1815. After him, more colonists followed. The residents were poor and worked as forest laborers, sheep shepherds, and plowmen, among other things. Slowly but surely, a small colony of huts made of sods arose. It was called Hoenderloo, after the many korhoenders (black grouse) that roamed there.

The reconstructed cottage is really a stone's throw away from the hut that Brinkenberg built. The present wooden house (unfortunately not open to the public) gives some impression of how sober life must have been.

Nederland - Nieuw Milligen, Kootwijkerveen

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 08:58:01 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

Unlike the name suggests, the Kootwijkerveen is not located near Kootijk, but somewhere hidden in the woods between the hamlets of Nieuw Milligen and Assel. It is a nature reserve that is unusual for the Netherlands: a peat lake surrounded on all sides by wooded shifting sand hills.

The Kootwijkerveen has a long history that goes back to the Ice Age. It was originally a marshland area on the western slope of the Veluwe. Because of an impermeable layer, the water remains there and creates ideal conditions for the formation of moor peat.

Peat was extracted here up until the Second World War. Later, pasture land was created. In the 1970s, the Dutch government organisation for forestry and the management of nature reserves (Staatsbosbeheer), began restoration work. The result is a beautiful lake at 40 metres above sea level: a wet oasis in the middle of dry sandy soil; created by ice ages, peat cutters and nature managers.

The Kootwijkerveen can be visited along a signposted walking route, which starts at a car park near Nieuw Milligen.

Nederland - Hoog Soeren, Aardhuispark

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 08:44:41 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

The Aardhuispark is a fenced-off part of Kroondomein Het Loo (The Loo Royal Estate). It is situated - as the name suggests - around Het Aardhuis. The park offers a mixture of open landscape with a wildlife meadow, lanes with old beech and oak trees and water pools.

A three-kilometre walking route has been marked out in the park. This route also leads to a hideout for wildlife spotting. During my last visit, I saw a group of 15 to 20 deer grazing and resting there (PiP1).

Nederland - Hoog Soeren, Het Aardhuis

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 09:11:24 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

Het Aardhuis was commissioned by King Willem III and designed by court architect Henri Camp in 1861. Originally, the chalet-like building was mainly used as a military meeting centre and as a place to rest after a hunt. Prince Hendrik also liked to stay in Het Aardhuis which he used while hunting. That is why it is mainly known as a hunting chalet.

Het Aardhuis is situated on the Aardmansberg (from which the name is derived), which at 102 metres is one of the highest points in the Veluwe. This location offered Willem III a magnificent view of the manoeuvres that the soldiers from a nearby camp were performing on the heathlands.

In 1972, Queen Juliana decided to give the impressive black wooden building a different purpose. From a hunting chalet, it became an information centre about nature and wildlife. Today, the ground floor of Het Aardhuis houses a café-restaurant. On the first floor, one of the rooms is still furnished as it was in the days of King Willem III and Prince Hendrik, with a lot of attention for hunting (PiP3). Another larger room serves as an information centre for Kroondomein Het Loo (Het Loo Royal Estate).

Nederland - Radio Kootwijk, De Kathedraal

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 06:12:20 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

After World War I the Netherlands decided to set up their own international communication network. This enabled a permanent connection with the Dutch East Indies. A search was made for an uninhabited, remote area for placing a broadcasting station. This was found in the Veluwe, where 450 hectares of land was purchased from Staatsbosbeheer (Dutch State Forest Commission).

About 150 labourers from Amsterdam levelled the terrain. The antenna terrain was constructed as a circular plain with a diameter of approximately 1.200 meters, a ring of five 212 meters high masts around a central mast at the foot of the transmitter building. The radio transmission centre was officially put into operation in May 1923, initially for Morse telegraph traffic.

Not only buildings were built for the broadcasting system, but also houses, workshops and a water tower were erected. The entire village was named after its function: Radio Kootwijk. In the late 1920s, around 200 people lived in Radio Kootwijk. The village was remote and there was no regular bus connection with villages in the area. That is why the community arranged a school bus, a market bus, a football bus and even a church bus on Sundays. The village also had its own fire brigade, garbage collection service, electricity and water via the water tower and pumps.

The architect of the main building - officially called “Building A”, but well known by its nickname “De Kathedraal” - was architect Julius Luthmann, who worked for the Dutch Government Building Agency. The building could, for example, not be built in wood because of the fire hazard of overheating due to radiation from the transmitters. The sending station therefore consists of reinforced concrete, in the form of a sphinx (the architect was interested in Egyptian mythology). The style from which it is executed is a mixture of German expressionism and the Amsterdam School, with some Scandinavian influence. Luthmann worked with the sculptor Hendrik van den Eijnde for the decoration.

As of 1962 the transmitter station provided long-distance connections for the maritime industry from the Netherlands. In 1998 the station finally closed it doors. The buildings and corresponding terrain went back to the hands of the Dutch State Forest Commission. Nowadays it is used as venue and scenery for several cultural events and productions. Visitors are welcome on certain days.

Nederland - Apeldoorn, De Parken

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 07:26:58 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

De Parkenbuurt is a neighbourhood of the city of Apeldoorn. This residential area arose between the old village and the small settlement around Het Loo Palace. The neighbourhood is named after the more or less contiguous parks: Oranjepark, Wilhelminapark, Prinsenpark and Verzetsstrijderspark.

In the 19th century the area had three estates: De Pasch, De Vlijt and Sophia's Hoeve. From 1874 until the beginning of the 20th century, these were acquired by project developers. They built the public parks and roads and sold plots of land for the construction of villas. Most of the houses were built between 1880 and 1920.

Initially, the neighbourhood was very popular with wealthy pensioners, manufacturers and senior civil servants from the west of the Netherlands. Even today the Parkenbuurt is a very popular residential area, because of its location close to the center of Apeldoorn, but also because of the green park-like surroundings, with relatively large gardens and tree-lined streets.

Pictures:
Prinsenpark: PiP - Monument “Het Apeldoornse Bosch” by Ralph Prins
( www.apeldoornschebosch.nl/in-the-vicinity/monument-prinsenpark-apeldoorn )
Oranjepark: PiP - Central war monument “De man met de vlag” by Cor Hund
Verzetsstrijderspark: PiP - Artwork “Constructie 3” by Cyril Lixenberg

Nederland - Apeldoorn, Park Berg & Bos

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 07:03:55 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

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 was dug by hand by unemployed workers from the municipality as a procuring of employment project.

The 250-hectare park adjacent to “Het Loo Royal Estate” offers a mixture of plants, trees and animals from the Veluwe. Plant borders close to the entrance define the image and paths around the pond invite for a walk. The further you get, the more the Park Berg & Bos, will resemble the surrounding nature of the Veluwe with its extensive forests and small heathlands.

Since 1971 part of the park has been used by the famous Apenheul, a zoo with free roaming primates. Except Apenheul the park can be visited for free.

Nederland – Apeldoorn, Paleis Het Loo tuin

nobody@ipernity.com (Jaap van 't Veen) — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 06:49:13 +0000

Jaap van 't Veen has posted:

Paleis Het Loo (Het Loo Palace) was built in 1686 for stadtholder Willem III and his wife queen Mary of England. The palace was the summer residence of the Dutch stadtholders, kings and queens from 1686 to 1975. Princess Margriet last inhabited parts of the palace.

Het Loo was planned and created as a combination of a palace and baroque garden. This garden - designed by Claude Desgotz - was more than a royal hobby; it was a symbol for the position and power of the royal couple. All elements in the garden, such as the garden statues and the fountains, fit within this symbolic meaning. Flowers and plants play are important elements in the gardens of Paleis Het Loo. In the 17th century, a garden with exotic - and therefore expensive - flowers and plants meant that the owner had the wealth and contacts to have such a garden laid out and maintained.

In the 18th century the baroque garden was replaced by an English landscape garden. However, the original gardens were restored from 1980 to 1984, when the palace and gardens became a national museum. The starting point was preserved design drawings, as well as excavations on site. Some of the plants at Het Loo change every year, both in the spring and in the summer. The aim is to achieve the most accurate possible reconstruction of the original garden.

(During our last visit the garden was decorated with four monumental contemporary art works - 'The Garden of Earthly Worries’ - designed by the Polish-American architect Daniel Libeskind. It is the first time that contemporary art is on show in the garden of Paleis Het Loo.)