We like Holland, we like castles, so no surprise we loved De Haar Castle near Utrecht!
I must say it’s been nearly 2 years since we visited the castle, but as I haven’t posted about it yet, as I don’t have new ‘Trips ‘n Travels’ content because of Covid and as De Haar Castle will be there for years to come, I’m taking you with me on our hot and sunny trip in June 2019 🙂
What
De Haar Castle is the largest castle in Holland and it was once the private residence of the Van Zuylen family. It really looks like a medieval fortress. It is set in stunning parkland and it is surrounded by beautiful gardens.
The castle dates back to the 13th century. It fell into disrepair in the 18th century, but from 1892 until 1912, architect Pierre Cuypers restored and rebuilt De Haar for Baron Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt van de Haar. Besides restoring the castle, he also redesigned the interiors, the garden, the chapel,… Cuypers has created an enchanting oasis of harmony and peace.
Before entering the castle, you can certainly enjoy a walk in the park and gardens surrounding the castle. They cover over 135 acres of land and include the Rose Garden, the Roman Garden, ponds, canals, bridges,… We visited on a very hot and sunny day and we were glad to have plenty of shade because of the mighty trees in the parkland!
Where
The castle is situated in the heart of the Netherlands, near Utrecht. It’s easy to reach by car.
More information
More information on the castle, what to see, when to visit, can be found on the website: English | Kasteel de haar
At the moment the castle is still closed due to Covid, but hopefully it can be visited again soon! Enjoy your visit 🙂
Love, Kathleen
PS: why not make a weekend break and stay in Utrecht! You can read more about what to do in Utrecht in these blogposts
Holland: Utrecht – the good, the fab & the lovely (thegoodthefabandthelovely.com)
Holland: Utrecht – Botanic Gardens – the good, the fab & the lovely (thegoodthefabandthelovely.com)
the good, the fab & the lovely 