Historische aanleg, Amsterdamsestraatweg bij 1

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

Component 2. Garden and Park Layout.

HISTORIC GARDEN AND PARK LAYOUT belonging to the country estate Paleis Soestdijk.

Introduction.

The earliest map of the layout dates from the end of the 17th century (Van Staden) and shows a simple Dutch classicist design with a moated house, side parterres, orchards, waterworks, a game park and avenues. The park layout was realised around the construction of the hunting lodge in 1689 very probably to the design of architect Maurits Post. Presumably around 1730 Daniël Marot further expanded the layout including in particular a clear central axis, a parterre behind the house and star forests (see map Schaefer from 1768). From this period dates a wooden garden bench by the pond as well as several vases. The Hooilaan is by virtue of its length and width a striking feature. In the park lies a bowl-shaped pond (Henri IV pond), which dates from this formal period. The main axis is also still clearly recognisable as are various cross-avenues (Reigerslaantje and the rear cross-avenue). The first landscape elements from 1779 were introduced by stadtholder's architect Philips W. Schonk. The English Wood, located to the southeast of the palace, is a remnant of this layout in early landscape style still somewhat recognisable by the small-scale structure of winding paths. The park was further transformed in landscape style from 1806 by garden architects J.D. Zocher sr. and jr. (first on the instructions of King Louis Napoleon subsequently under Willem). The main axis remained recognisable in this transformation: forecourt, palace, large pond complex with island behind the palace, a vista—at the location of the old longitudinal axis—towards a large open meadow (the Deer Park). In the 19th and 20th centuries the park was altered in parts, with the conversion of the old Deer Park into Queen Emma Park being the most extensive. Historic trees have stood in the park such as the so-called 'Totleben oak' and a 'Willem II linden'. The first of these trees has since disappeared and the presence of the second is no longer known. In more recent use by the House of Orange the park has played a prominent role in the image-making surrounding the monarchy; official photo sessions were taken in the setting of the park. During the reign of Queen Juliana the so-called parades were held in the forecourt. Gifts also found a place in the gardens such as numerous sculptures and garden ornaments including sculptures such as 'Boy with Duck' and 'Bartje' and the sundial behind the intendant's house.

Description

The historic park and garden layout is characterised in its main lines by a layout in 19th-century landscape style (pond complex, curved avenues, vistas) with early 20th-century elements (including forecourt) and set within an extensive 17th-century avenue system. The bridges present in the park have been substantially renewed in the 1970s-80s. Sometimes old components, in particular railings, were reused. The park consists of the following component parts

Forecourt

Between the access road (Amsterdamsestraatweg) and the palace lies a spacious forecourt. The current appearance is characterised by a relatively austere, symmetrical design of a semicircular drive, which leads to the terrace. The avenue is lined by tree groups on the side of the fence. Subsequently lie lawns on either side. Perpendicular to the terrace lies the (sight) axis towards the Needle. In the lawn a U-shaped path has been laid. On the corners of this lawn stand four large garden vases.

Park behind the palace

The park behind the main house (west and northwest) is dominated by the large landscape pond, which connects with various watercourses further into the park. Around the pond lie various park areas. Directly behind the main house this has a more cultivated character with lawns and rhododendron groups further to the west and northwest the character is that of a wooded area with paths and avenues. Within it lie still some sub-areas mentioned below. POND The meandering pond complex with island is connected with a stream, which from the south via the pond winds to the west, around the original deer park. Around the pond a layout with lawns, tree groups and curved paths. From the palace two sight lines lead over the pond towards landmarks in the park. One runs to the south and offers a view of a (reconstructed) white garden bench, the other runs westerly into the park and has the ice house with small garden house as visual terminus. The park is planted with various types of trees and shrubs, such as rhododendrons, which provide different colour accents. The avenues are planted with oaks or beeches. Only around the pond stand some conifers. Former DEER PARK Behind the pond lay a large open meadow, which in two phases around the mid and end of the 19th century, was wooded (now known as Queen Emma Park). The open layout gave way to an alternating layout with small meadows, avenues, the occasional solitary tree and a shrub border along the southern ditch. The open vista, as laid out by the Zochers, disappeared thereby. In the southeast corner of this park—just beside the main axis—a square, moated area was laid out in 1937, on which the sports pavilion with swimming pool and tennis courts, as well as a play house, were built. Bijhouwer provided the landscape arrangement. OLD GAME PARK/AVENUES To the south and west of Queen Emma Park lies a coppice wood intersected by straight and curved avenues. On the west side there is an approximately five-hundred-metre-long, fifty-metre-wide shooting range (Hooilaan). This avenue still forms part of the formal avenue system as do various cross-avenues (Reigerslaantje and the rear cross-avenue). The spaciously curved avenues (Alexander- and Willemlaan) form part of the Zocher design. In the park wood lies a round basin (Princess's Bowl) from the second half of the 19th century and a pond (Henri IV pond), which in layout dates from the 17th century. Around this latter-mentioned pond two hunting lodges were built (c.1834). MEADOW Directly northwest of the pond lies a small-scale landscape composition from c.1830-35 of an animal meadow to which a play farm is situated. Later the Wilhelmina chalet was built at the meadow. GARDENS To the north of the palace lies the orangery. Behind it lies a part of the park which dates from around 1880. Here stands a water tower of originally 17th-century date, which served to operate the fountains. In the grass plot by the water tower lie three dog graves, two of which date from the 19th century. The garden area behind the water tower knew around the middle of the 19th century a layout with a trellis pergola fitted with sculptures and centrally a rockwork with sculpture from 1858 (see component 7). The trellis was demolished in 1882 on the instructions of Willem III. The rockwork with sculpture has been preserved and incorporated in a rose garden. By Eberson two flower glasshouses (1884) were built, which were also later demolished. In 1919 this park area was altered again and further extended following a design by Leonard Springer with conifers and other evergreens. SPORTS COMPLEX In the southwestern part of the garden lies the sports complex. This sports complex was laid out with the arrival of Juliana and Bernhard at Soestdijk in 1936. The design of the layout was by J.T.P. Bijhouwer. The pavilion is a gift from the Dutch schoolchildren and was designed in 1937 by J. de Bie Leuveling Tjeenk and A.J. van der Steur. The sports complex was adapted several times over the years. The LAYOUT consists of a terrain surrounded by ditches which is made accessible by means of a single bridge with iron railings. The terrain is furnished with lawns and scattered tree groups. Older trees are incorporated in it. Besides the buildings two tennis courts were originally laid out, of which now 1 is in good condition, and a swimming pool. The pavilion lies on the east side of the terrain with the tennis courts in front of it. And to the south of it the swimming pool. In front of the pavilion stands on the right perpendicular to the facade a dense yew hedge. On the north side of the pavilion the pre-war concrete bicycle wheel clamps of the brand Meteoor from De Steeg are still present. Also scattered stepping stones of flagstone still lie around the pavilion.

Outer garden

To the northeast of the Amsterdamsestraatweg still lies a part of the historic park which can be designated as 'outer garden'. From 1758 to 1865 this area was still more extensive because then the terrain of De Eult, the present Baarnse Bos, also belonged to the Soestdijk property. The outer garden now consists of three sub-areas with different character.

1. The northern part with the service buildings. The buildings lie in a more or less random arrangement on a now largely paved or asphalt terrain. Behind the intendant's house lies a lawn bordered by trees. Behind the small service houses a vegetable garden bordered by a beech hedge.

2. The King's Avenue with the memorial monument. In 1676 the plan arose to lay out a new drive in a straight line from the Eem (the 'New Avenue') to the house. Ultimately only one third, between the Amsterdamsestraatweg and the Torenlaan, was realised. The avenue did not function as a drive, but as a sight avenue (King's Avenue) with double avenue planting. The axis begins with a semi-circle at the side of the Amsterdamsestraatweg and is terminated by the memorial monument (1815) erected in commemoration of the victory of the Battle of Waterloo on the side of the Torenlaan. The King's Avenue borders to the north the former country estate De Eult.

3. The utility garden. The strip of land to the south of the King's Avenue along the Amsterdamsestraatweg has traditionally been in use as a utility garden. Here lay the vegetable garden. It is surrounded and divided with beech hedge and still in use as a vegetable garden/nursery.

Valuation

HISTORIC GARDEN AND PARK LAYOUT belonging to the country estate Paleis Soestdijk of general importance by virtue of:

- the cultural-historical values by virtue of the origin and use history in particular by virtue of the inseparable connection with the House of Orange;

- the architectural-historical values in particular the garden history as a good example of a layout in 19th-century landscape style in which older formal elements (avenue system, house site) have been preserved with characteristic early-20th-century garden areas including around the sports pavilion;

- the architectural-historical values by virtue of the place in the oeuvre of the respective garden architects;

- the ensemble value and the functional-spatial relation to both the components of the Soestdijk complex and the opposite complex Baarnse Bos/De Eult and the road and avenue structure outside the park.

- the archaeological expectation values mainly in the northwestern sand-drift area (prehistory) and in the immediate surroundings of the palace for the period after 1650.