Castle de Haar

You know what I’m really proud of? That I’m the biggest and most luxurious castle in the whole of the Netherlands. At first sight people always think I come from the Middle Ages, but I was built much later, thanks to a romantic love story. Curious? Then let’s fly back to the 19th century!

Starting in 1391, I had several landlords who didn’t always treat me well. They let me be destroyed and burned several times, until, at the end of the 19th century, Baron Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt inherited me. I was truly surprised that he fell in love with me, because at that time, I was nothing more than a heap of ruins. I thought I’d never regain my old glory. But I was wrong, my golden years were just about to begin!

He was quite the flamboyant chap, that baron! Even back then, he was mad about race cars, airplanes, women, and masked balls. During one of those balls in Paris — dressed as Hercules, no less — he made an unforgettable impression on the very wealthy Hélène de Rothschild.

Just between us: Hélène was an excellent match for the adventurous Etienne. She was independent, outspoken, and in many ways far ahead of her time. Hélène and Etienne got married, even though she had to face her family’s disapproval for choosing a Roman Catholic man. It was a love so powerful, it didn’t just defy family expectations, it saved me from disappearing forever. I dare say that I was the biggest winner of their love story as Hélène agreed to invest a huge fortune in Etienne’s dream of rebuilding me as a unique, luxurious castle. So after securing the land, the ruined castle, and enough funding for the restoration, they needed a star architect to bring the vision to life.

They say every masterpiece needs a genius, and mine was Pierre Cuypers. Yes, the Cuypers! The man behind the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Central Station. When Baron Etienne and Hélène found him, they knew he was the only one who could turn my ruins into a Neo-Gothic fairytale. And oh, what a dream he spun around me!

He didn’t just rebuild me, he reimagined me. Secret doors, glittering stained glass, tapestries, custom-made furniture, even tableware etched with the family crest. I wasn’t just a castle anymore. I was an experience! I was the dream of elegance made real in stone and glass.

And the luxury? Unheard of in the Netherlands at the time. Hot and cold running water, central heating, electricity, I even had a Turkish bath and an elevator! The Queen herself would’ve been jealous.

But wait, there’s more, the park! Baron Etienne had no intention of waiting decades for nature to grow up around me. So he brought it here, fully grown. Can you imagine? They uprooted 7,000 trees — yes, seven thousand — some already 40 years old, and moved them here by night on wagons. A whole forest, gifted to me.

And the village of Haarzuilens? Gone. Just like that. They moved it a whole kilometer away and rebuilt it in charming medieval style so nothing would spoil my view. I told you, the baron didn’t dream small.

Ah, and the guests! What stories I could tell you from my salons and ballrooms. Nobles, bankers, artists, even royalty, I welcomed them all.

After the war, when the world began to heal, my halls echoed once more with footsteps and laughter. In 1951, my doors opened to the public. It was Baron Thierry, the grandson, who brought glamour back in the '60s. Imagine me blushing (if I could) as Brigitte Bardot lounged on my terrace, or Roger Moore admired my halls!

Today, I still stand tall and proud. The family Zuylen van Nijevelt no longer owns me, but their spirit lingers. Each year, the descendants of Baron Thierry return for a single, magical month and I get to feel like home again.

Yes, I may look like a medieval beauty, but I am a true child of love, vision, and determination. I am Castle de Haar, and I have never been more alive.