Restoration

Restoration De Haar 2001 – 2010

Even today, more than a hundred years after the ruins of the castle were rebuilt, De Haar rises from the castle moat ‘like a column’, as Baron Etienne van Zuylen put it at the time. But from the mid-1990s, cracks appeared in the castle walls due to a lack of sufficiently solid bedding for the foundations. A number of factors appear to have played a role. A possible explanation could be that the Medieval foundations were not, after all, strong enough to support the massive structure designed by Cuypers. The composition of the soil, a combination of clay and sand flats, and the lowering of the ground water table may also have played a part.

A huge restoration project has been set up to preserve the castle as well as its outer buildings, the park and gardens. The Dutch Ministry of Culture decided in 2001 to introduce a special subsidy scheme for a national choice selection of buildings and sites that were in need of restoration. De Haar Castle was eligible for a grant under this ‘Government Subsidy Scheme for Large-scale Restoration Projects’ thanks to its cultural and historical value and uniqueness. In addition to this generous government grant, the Kasteel de Haar Foundation contributes its own funds to the restoration. These funds include the monies contributed by Baron van Zuylen and the Dutch Society for the Conservation of Nature, as well as donations by corporate partners and private individuals.

Restoration on the Chapel began in September 2001. This was followed, in successive phases, by the bridges, entrance gates, moat walls, garden ornaments and the shell of the stable yard, or Stalplein. And finally, in 2006, restoration commenced on the first part of the castle itself, starting with the foundations of the leaning Knights’ Tower. Between 2006 and 2009 the outer shell of the castle was fully restored. Meanwhile we discovered that after the Knights' Tower, the entire castle and parts of the Châtelet too needed a new foundation. This work started in 2008 and by the end of 2009 almost 500 piles were put into position. In 2010 the interior of the castle will be restored, with the emphasis on installations in the basement and on the beletage (the parts of the castle that are open to the public). The castle will be kept open to the public as much as possible during the restoration. It will be restored in fases, taking a number of rooms at a time. The restoration will strive to keep intact De Haar’s current image of ‘a hundred-year-old grand country estate’. Towards the end of 2010 the castle should be fully operational again.

A Masterplan had also been made for the restoration of the park and gardens surrounding the castle. In 2006 the pathways and stableyard were restored and we placed new signposts throughout the park. In 2008 the Rosegarden and Box Garden were restored, they now resemble the original design from 1896. In 2009 we restored the backend of the park and in 2010 we intend to restore the entrance and deer enclosure. After that we will continue with the Roman garden and Grand Cour.

The castle and park will be kept open to the public during the restoration. For information about the latest restoration activities please have a look at the lastest news on the restoration.