Nijenrode

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

Introduction

GATEHOUSE as part of the country estate Nijenrode. The country estate has its origins in a 13th century castle. Important expansions and restorations took place notably in the 17th century under Johan I Ortt, who also commissioned the laying out of a formal garden. From 1907 the country estate was owned by Amsterdam coffee merchant Michiel Onnes. He had the castle restored under the direction of architect E.G. Wentinck to a 17th century state and added several outbuildings. Garden architects L.A. Springer and H. Copijn were responsible for the layout transformed between 1912-1915 into a landscape garden with a mixed character. Currently Nijenrode University for Business Administration is housed in the castle and with the purchase of land in the direction of the Amsterdam Rijnkanaal the territory of the country estate has been enlarged again.

Description

The gatehouse is situated parallel to the Straatweg and the outer moat. A solid masonry bridge connects the building to the Straatweg. The retaining walls are finished with natural stone coping slabs. On the Straatweg at the termination of the swinging bridge sections are natural stone plinths with sculptured lions, both holding a coat of arms including among others the arms of Ruwiel.

The building is constructed in brick from a rectangular floor plan. The main volume consists of two storeys with a gabled roof, which is intersected in the middle by a perpendicularly placed, higher gabled roof. On the east side the gable section raised above the eaves is flanked by octagonal stair turrets four storeys high. On the west side there are extensions of one storey with gabled roofs at right angles to the main building. Between the carriage entrance and these extensions are party walls one storey high, which separate the private courtyards of the service dwellings. The roofs are covered with slates in ridge covering and the eaves are executed with wooden gutters resting on moulded brackets.

The facades of the higher stair turrets and the end facades of main volume and extensions are executed as stepped gables with natural stone coping slabs. The roof aprons are intersected by modest wooden roof dormers with five-sided, slate-covered roof hipped roofs and straight-edged windows with shutters and inward-opening casements. The straight-edged timber windows occur as cloister windows, cross windows and as simple windows under relieving arch. They are equipped with shutters and fixed and casement sashes in leaded glass. The facades are enriched with ornamental wall anchors. The outer gable sections of the three-bay wide, symmetrical front facade (east side) contain per storey and per roof apron one cloister window respectively roof dormer. The stair turrets, which flank the stepped gable are provided with a few windows and cloister windows at the top. The eight-sided hipped roofs of the spires have a curve and are covered with slates. These spires are crowned by zinc finials. The stepped gable between the turrets has a door with a relieving segmental arch, the surround and soffit of which are executed with natural stone blocks. Above it is an ornamented ashlar incorporating among others the building year (1916). The second storey contains two cloister windows. At the top is a third cloister window. The stepped gable is executed with a masonry gable maker and is crowned by a natural stone sculptured lion holding a shield. The left side facade (south side) and the right side facade (north side) are identical and largely blank. At the top is a masonry chimney, crowned with iron finials and weathervanes with the arms of Ruwiel. On the vertical central axis a pilaster is laid up. To the left and right of this pilaster is in the top gable a single window. The symmetrical rear facade (west side) contains a central bay with stepped gable, executed as the front facade. An exception to this is the door surround, which is executed with natural stone soffit blocks and the execution of the stepped gable, the top of which is closed with a simple coping slab. The two bays on either side of the central bay contain in the second storey each two cross windows. On the ground floor to the left is a cross window, door with two-part fanlight and a cloister window. The gable section to the right of the door has been altered. The roof aprons have one roof dormer as on the front. The end facades of the one-storey extensions are blank. In the party walls with saddle-back ridges are arched openings with arched hinged doors on the north and south sides. The walls are provided with laid-up corner pilasters, which are crowned with overhanging natural stone coping slabs, on which spherical elements stand. The interior of the northern service dwelling has largely retained its internal layout and detailing. The ground floor of the southern part of the gatehouse was rebuilt in 1985 for the enlargement of the lodge. Of importance are among others the timber spiral stair in the stair turret, the fixed wall cabinet with panelled doors and a chimney with timber chimney breast, natural stone chimney posts, tiled hearth and Delft blue tiling.

Valuation

The building is of general importance for its cultural and architectural-historical value as a well-preserved example of a gatehouse with service dwellings from 1916 as well as for its cultural-historical value as a functional component of the country estate Nijenrode. The gatehouse has urban planning value through its prominent location on the Straatweg and the Vecht as well as through the visual and spatial-functional relationship with the other components of the complex.