Manors

Apeldoorn and the surrounding Veluwe are known for their country estates, called buitenplaatsen, and manor houses, which developed from the seventeenth century as wealthy families sought a retreat from city life. The manor tradition makes a good theme for a day out, alongside the castles and the royal palace. The estates give the region a character quite different from the working farmland of other parts of the Netherlands, with long avenues, parks and elegant houses set among woodland.

The Veluwe was attractive for several reasons. It had clean air, sandy soils that drained well and were healthier than the damp polders, abundant game for hunting and picturesque woods and heath. Merchants from Amsterdam and Utrecht, noble families and later retired colonial officials bought land and built houses, often as summer residences, and laid out gardens in the fashion of the time. In the nineteenth century Apeldoorn became known as a favourite place for people returning from the Dutch East Indies, who built villas and settled in the leafy suburbs, and the town grew into a comfortable, green city.

The architecture of the manors ranges from classical Dutch styles of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to the more eclectic styles of the late nineteenth century. Typical features include a symmetrical facade, a double staircase leading up to the entrance, tall windows and a mansard roof, and the grounds often contain a pond, a coach house, a tea pavilion and a formal garden. Many estates also kept working farms and forest, which provided income, and some are still managed as nature estates.

The royal connection is the most famous. Paleis Het Loo, the palace of the Orange family, set the tone for the region from the seventeenth century, and its gardens and parkland are open to the public. Around Apeldoorn, other estates are used as hotels, restaurants, offices or private residences, and a number of parks and lanes are open to walkers and cyclists, even if the houses are not. The Royal estates of Apeldoorn offer further walking and cycling.

The theme suits visitors who enjoy a slow ride through woods, with stops at cafes and viewpoints. Check what is open before you go, as many manors are privately owned. Cycling routes and maps are available from the tourist office, and the Veluwe's wildlife adds to the pleasure.