Castle Groeneveld is an estate in the municipality of Baarn. It is in use as a "Country and City Estate" of Staatsbosbeheer. A long driveway from the Amsterdamsestraatweg forms the visual axis of the estate. This line of sight runs through the hallway on the ground floor up to about two kilometres in the woods behind the castle. In the past, the line of sight even continued to the Monnikenberg in the direction of Hilversum.
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries it was customary for wealthy Amsterdammers to purchase a country estate where they could relax during the summer. Often these country estates were situated on the border of sand and peat soil. The estates in 't Gooi ('s-Graveland), along the Vecht and on the inner dune edge (the Keukenhof) are examples of this.
The estate around the castle is about 130 ha and is managed by the Forestry Commission. The park of castle Groeneveld was laid out in the Dutch Baroque style, which is characterized by strict geometric shapes and impressive driveways.
When, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the English landscape style prevailed, the park was transformed. Water features, hills, winding paths and trees were laid out. Especially after 1830 the landscape style was perfected in Groeneveld. An ice cellar was also constructed. This still exists and is now inhabited by great-eared bats.
I'm Jeroen, and I'll spare you the long introduction. ;) If you're looking for a landscape photo for your wall, you've come to the right place... Read more…