Apeldoorn Off The Beaten Path

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This is a monument to mark the 55th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands and to serve as a lasting reminder of the role of Canadian soldiers in securing that freedom.

The statue was unveiled by Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet, who lives in Apeldoorn.

The monument symbolizes the historic bonds between Canada and the Netherlands. It is a mysterous figure, which seems to be waving both hands with a hat in each one.

In November an annual memorial takes place around this monument to honour the 7000 Canadian war victims during the liberation of the Netherlands. In 2005 a special plaque, a gift of the Canadian Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, was unveiled. This gift was already given to the people of Apeldoorn during the celebrations in May.

More info (in Dutch): http://www.4en5mei.nl/oorlogsmonumenten/zoeken/monument-detail/_rp_main_elementId/1_1722

The monument is situated nearby the entrance of 'Het Loo Palace', an absolutely must see site in Apeldoorn.

Directions
Car: follow the signs 'Paleis Het Loo' along highways A1-A50.
Public transport from the railway/bus station:
- lines 102, 104, 400 - stop 'Paleis Het Loo';
- lines 16, 202 - stop 'Gedenknaald'.
On foot: 40 minutes from the railway station.

See also
Maple Leaf Monument.

Saturday August 13 of the year 2005 (former) Queen Beatrix unveiled this stained-glass window in the 'Grote Kerk' in Apeldoorn.

This very colourful window is a present from the citizens and employers of the town as a tribute for the 25 years of being queen of the Netherlands.

This window is put into the church on the left side of the pulpit and the huge church organ (on the other side is a window in honour of former Queen Wilhelmina).

Artist Huub Kurvers designed this stained window with several coats of arms and the colours of our national flag: red, white and blue.

See for openinghours of the church my other tip about the Grote Kerk.

Directions
Grote Kerk, Loolaan 16, Apeldoorn
On walking distance of the city center of Apeldoorn.

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An old hunting castle, next to the more well-known Palace Het Loo (now a museum), most probably built in the 16th century.

Nowadays used by the Dutch royal family for ceremonies and to accommodate (foreign) visitors.

Castle: closed for public
Gardens around the castle: open for public ONLY in April and May.
During these months lots of blooming rhododendrons and azalea's around the castle and a huge pond behind the castle. English style garden with impressive trees. At the entrance to the castle is a 'natural' labyrinth (left hand side).

'Het Oude Loo' is located in the middle of 'Het Paleispark', which offers some nice walks; from the main entrance are three signposted (loop)walks (3, 5 and 7 km's).

Entrance: car park Palace Het Loo; there is a ticket machine at the left side of the car park and you need euro coins to pay (2010: entrance fee € 1,50 - seniors and children € 0,50). (With the same ticket you also can visit the Paleispark/Park of the Palace)

Directions
Car: follow the signs 'Paleis Het Loo' along highways A1-A50.
Public transport from the railway/bus station:
- lines 102, 104, 400 - stop 'Paleis Het Loo';
- lines 16, 202 - stop 'Gedenknaald'.
On foot: 40 minutes from the railway station.

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The Paleispark (Park of the Palace) is part of the so called 'Kroondomein Het Loo', a large forest behind the Palace Het Loo.

The Paleispark is the part close to the palace and was used by the royal family (who lived here for years) for walks and hunting. There are also a tea- bath and a boathouse on the shore of one of the romantic lakes. Everywhere are small streams and wells.

Excellent for walks; from the main entrance are three signposted (loop)walks (3, 5 and 7 km's).
Entrance: car park Palace Het Loo; there is a ticket machine at the left side of the car park and you need euro coins to pay (2010: entrance fee € 1,50 - / seniors and children € 0,50).
(ONLY during April and May you also can visit the gardens around the castle Het Oude Loo with the same ticket)

Directions
Car: follow the signs 'Paleis Het Loo' along highways A1-A50.
Public transport from the railway/bus station:
- lines 102, 104, 400 - stop 'Paleis Het Loo';
- line 16, 202 - stop 'Gedenknaald'.
On foot: 40 minutes from the railway station.

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‘De Naald’ - in Apeldoorn also called De Gedenknaald - is with its height of 17 meters (56 feet) the tallest monument of my hometown and a landmark in the North-western part - were I live - of the city. The obelisk-liked monument is made of stone and surrounded by an iron fence and stone bollards.

‘De Naald’ (The Needle) is located on the intersection of the Amersfoortse- and Zwolseweg, just in front of one of the impressive tree lined drive ways to Palace Het Loo. Of course ‘De Naald’ has a ‘royal’ spot, because it was a gift of the citizens of Apeldoorn to Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Hendrik, who used to live in ‘Het Loo’. Beside it was dedicated to Queen Emma and her husband King Willem III.

When Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Hendrik were married on 7 February 1901, ‘De Naald’ was not yet ready; it was unveiled by Queen Wilhelmina a month later on 9 March 1901. One side of De Naald shows on a bronze plate the portraits in profile of Emma and Willem III; on another side is a plaque with the text:

Gesticht
door de Ingezetenen
der Gemeente Apeldoorn
als eene dankbare hulde
aan de
DOORLUCHTIGE OUDERS
van Hare Majesteit
KONINGIN WILHELMINA.

English translation: Founded by the Residents of the Municipality of Apeldoorn as a grateful tribute to the illustrious parents of Her Majesty Queen Wilhelmina.

‘De Naald’ became world famous on April 30 2009, when the perpetrator of the Queens Day attack crashed with its car into the fence and stone bollards of the monument. Since 29.04.2009 the is Queen’s Day Attack Monument just opposite ‘De Naald’

Directions
Intersection Zwolseweg and Amersfoortseweg, nearby Palace Het Loo.
By car: follow the signs 'Paleis Het Loo' along the highways A1 and A50.
By regular buses from the railway/bus station:
- lines 102, 104, 400 - stop 'Paleis Het Loo'
- lines 16, 202 - stop 'Gedenknaald'
On foot: 40 minutes from the railway/bus station.

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One year after the terrible attack on Queen’s Day 2009 a permanent monument to the victims was unveiled by Queen Beatrix and Mayor De Graaf. The monument was designed by glass artist Menno Jonker.

This Queen's Day Attack Monument (Herinneringsmonument 30 april 2009) is a granite box containing several glass balloons, which symbolize vulnerability, celebration and mourning; seven white balloons represent the seven innocent victims who died in the attack. The artist has chosen the colour white, because it is used for mourning, especially to give expression to a link between death and a kind of hope.
If possible visit the monument (also) in the evening; for me the place and monument are more impressive and even look a little bit mysterious with lights shining through the balloons (see one of the photo's).

The names of the seven victims are engraved in the armoured glass plate, which is placed on the box with balloons. Next to the names is a Dutch text:

Een schrikverbleekte wereld stokte,
de nacht viel zwart de dag binnen ...

The monument - 180 cm wide and 64 cm high - has been placed opposite the ‘Naald’, a monument in Apeldoorn where the car of the perpetrator of the attack on the Dutch Royal Family - during Queens Day 2009 - crashed.

Directions
Car: follow the signs 'Paleis Het Loo' along highways A1-A50.
Public transport from the railway/bus station:
- lines 102, 104, 400 - stop 'Paleis Het Loo';
- lines 16, 202 - stop 'Gedenknaald'.
On foot: 40 minutes from the railway station.

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Although not really in Apeldoorn - about 20km's away - I think this could be a very nice (half) day trip.

Castle Staverden isn’t a real castle, but more a manor. In popular speech it is still called ‘castle’ because of its history of more than 800 years and the fact that four buildings have been built on this place. The first one was a hunting lodge used by the counts and dukes of Gelre, dating back to 1298.
The same year Staverden became city rights - granted by German King Rudolf to count Reinout of Gelderland - and nowadays most probably is the smallest city on earth with its 40 inhabitants living in the manor and farmhouses of the estate. The present ‘castle’ was built in 1905.

Although living rather close to this castle we never visited it till one of these lovely sunny autumn days during the end of October 2009. From the car park we walked in the restored 17th century garden of the castle, surrounded by a moat and a stream called ‘Staverdense Beek’. We passed the peacock statue, an ice cellar and an old grave having a tombstone with inscription ‘Leonora 1353’, before reaching the buildings existing of the former stables and the renovated house, which is not open for public.

In another corner of the garden stand an old water mill and a barn. The water mill itself is not open for visitors, but we could come very close and had a view of the water wheel. The barn has been altered into a visitor center with all kinds of information of Castle Staverden and the estate and a small shop selling gifts and local authentic products.

Castle and garden are surrounded by streams, a pond and old striking trees (during our ‘fall visit’ with colourful golden leaves), being part of an estate which is situated in the middle of one of the most beautiful forests of the Netherlands. We finished our stroll around Castle Staverden on the terrace of the former Orangery (since April 2009 a café/restaurant) enjoying our coffee and the beautiful entourage.

(It is also possible to make some longer walks along marked trails - will do it during a next visit. If following the red or yellow posts you will see the white peacocks. These animals have always been kept on Castle Staverden, the reason why it is also called ‘Peacock Castle’. Dukes of Gelre used to wear the feathers on their helmets.)

Directions
Road to Amersfoort (N 344) till Nieuw-Milligen > roundabout direction Harderwijk > second roundabout directiion Staverden (Gardenseweg) > turn right Staverdense weg > Castle Staverden, Staverdenseweg 283, Staverden

"Deze boom werd geplant
op 29 december 1945
door Luit. Gen. G.G. Simonds
commandant van het
IIe Canadese legerkorps
dat Nederland bevrijdde"

(This tree was planted
on December 29 of 1945
by Lieutenant-General G.G. Simonds
commander of the
2e Canadian Army Corps
which liberated the Netherlands)"

This is the text on a plaque, which is situated at the Loolaan, near the "Grote Kerk" ( building at the background of the picture). It is one of the remembrances of the liberation of Apeldoorn by the Canadians. The other one is the monument "Man with Two Hats" (see off the beaten path tip).

The planting of this tree (of course a Canadian maple) was also the 'birth' of the Canadalaan (former Marialaan), which starts at this point.

See for more info (in Dutch): http://www.4en5mei.nl/nc4en5mei-staging/oorlogsmonumenten/zoeken/monument-detail/_rp_main_elementId/1_327364

See also tip: Man with Two Hats.

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Oranjepark is situated near downtown Apeldoorn. It is a real city park and is a beautiful green spot in the centre of the town.

The Oranjepark was opened in 1876 and has lots of old trees, a pond (with a fountain and lots of ducks), a bandstand and the official war monument of Apeldoorn.

It doesn't matter what time of the year you visit Oranjepark. During springtime you may enjoy the blooming crocusses, in summer there are free Sunday afternoon concerts, fall has its own charm with abundant fall foliage in the park and if there is a real winter the park is a place for ice skating.

As said during the summer (mid may - mid September) each Sunday afternoon there is a (free) concert in the park. See for programme and more info: http://www.muziektentapeldoorn.nl/

Walking distance from downtown Apeldoorn.

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The town hall of Apeldoorn has to be the heart of the city; a building where local authorities, officials, civil servants and visitors feel comfortable; a meeting and reception place.

Architect Hans Ruijssenaars created the building and did succeed in using as much as possible of daylight. Everybody is surprised by the amount of light inside the building. This fact is intensified by the white colours of the walls and ceilings. The best place to see the impact of this way of building is the impressive main entrance hall with its staircases to the upper floors.

The (new) town hall is open for the workers and the public since the year of 1993. There are offices for about 1.000 civil servants. It is (of course) free to take a look inside the building.

Directions
The town hall is located at the Marktplein (Market Square) in the heart of the city centre of Apeldoorn; just 500 metres from the train and bus station (with a bus stop just opposite the building) and also easy accessible by car with a huge parking garage beneath the building.