Het Oude Loo

Dutch castle
52°14′7″N 5°56′33″E / 52.23528°N 5.94250°E / 52.23528; 5.94250Current tenantsDutch royal family
Dutch Rijksmonument 8175

Het Oude Loo (Dutch pronunciation: [ɦɛt ˈʌudə loː]; The Old Woods) is a 15th-century castle on the estate of Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands. The castle was built as a hunting lodge and is surrounded by a moat.[1] The castle is currently used by the Dutch royal family as a country house and guest residence. It is not open to the public.[2]

History

The castle was built in the 15th century. In 1684, the castle and the surrounding land was bought by William III of Orange.[2][3] On this land, he had Het Loo Palace built. The castle was used by the court as, among other things, an apothecary. In the 19th century the castle came into the hands of Louis Napoleon who filled up the moat. Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands had the castle and the moat restored by architect Pierre Cuypers.[3] Since 1968, the castle has been owned by the Dutch state.[4] In 1973, it became a national heritage site.[1] The castle is currently used by the Dutch royal family as a country house and guest residence.[4]

On 21 March 2022, it was announced that the property would be used to house 20-30 refugees fleeing the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[5][6]

  • Rear view in 1860
    Rear view in 1860
  • Side view in 2005
    Side view in 2005
  • Map of the ground floor
    Map of the ground floor

Gardens

Hedge maze in the gardens of Het Oude Loo, May 2016

The gardens of the castle have a statue pond, a maze made out of beech trees, and an outdoor bowling alley. They can be visited in the months of April and May.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b (in Dutch) Monumentnummer: 8175 - Het Oude Loo, Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed. Retrieved on 5 March 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Oude Loo Castle Archived 2014-03-05 at the Wayback Machine, Het Loo Royal Estate. Retrieved on 5 March 2014.
  3. ^ a b (in Dutch) Kasteel Het Oude Loo, Geheugen van Apeldoorn. Retrieved on 5 March 2014.
  4. ^ a b Het Loo Palace Archived 2014-02-11 at the Wayback Machine, Dutch Royal House. Retrieved on 5 March 2014.
  5. ^ "Dutch royal family to house Ukrainian refugees in castle". 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  6. ^ (in Dutch) Slot ‘t Oude Loo opvanglocatie voor Oekraïense vluchtelingen, Netherlands Government Information Service. Retrieved on 21 March 2022.

External links

  • Media related to Het Oude Loo Castle at Wikimedia Commons