Paleis Het Loo

Paleis Het Loo, I think the only Dutch Palace with a link to the English Royals. I absolutely loved wandering around in the many different years and centuries.



note: text is taken from the official website of Paleis Het Loo (www.paleishetloo.nl). I do not own any rights of this context. Paleis Het Loo is located in the heart of the Netherlands, on the outskirts of Apeldoorn.  Since 1984, after a thorough restoration, this former royal palace has been open to the public. The furnished rooms and chambers show how the Oranges have lived and worked here for 300 years. The baroque gardens have a symmetrical design, taking the garden of the 17th century as an example, and are unique in the Netherlands. In the course of those 300 years, the palace has had a lot of very diverse residents and the building itself underwent many changes.  

the building

  In 1684, stadtholder Willem III (1650-1702) purchased the medieval hunting lodge ‘Het Oude Loo’ together with the surrounding buildings, woods, estates and water courses. He wanted to build a new hunting lodge on this site, one which would compete with the country estates of other European royalty. Willem and his wife Mary Stuart (later Queen Mary II) were lovers of architecture and garden art. The ‘new’ Loo was envisaged as a magnificent summer residence where the stadtholder could hunt and entertain his noble guests in royal splendour. In 1686, the palace and the gardens were as good as complete. Three years later, in 1689, Willem and Mary became king and queen of the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland and this international status deserved a larger palace. The gardens were extended and four pavilions were added to the palace; these connected the middle section with the East and West wings. After the death of King-Stadtholder Willem III, the palace was used by consecutive stadtholders, kings and queens as hunting lodge and summer residence.

— I could post the entire History of Het Loo, but that's easier to read it here: Paleis Het Loo | The Palace. This is that link, that connection between the Netherlands and England. Mary Stuart and William of Orange. Mary II and William III. Anyway, enough chit chat, let's give you a view of everything I was allowed to take a photo of. (note. I made them with my iPhone, so it's not the best quality.) I wanted to bring my Canon, but due the rain...I decided not to.

photos