The Landscape Park

A hot-air balloon ride, an escape room, or a trip to the movies: we’re always looking for variety, excitement, and enjoyment. And it was no different in the 19th century. Prince Frederick of the Netherlands had a stunning landscape park built on his estate, where there was always something to experience: a picturesque landscape, exotic tree species, winding lakes, and surprising vistas. He proudly took his guests on a carriage ride through the park, treating them to one surprise after another.

Between 1838 and 1854, Prince Frederick purchased no fewer than nine estates in Wassenaar. This resulted in a single large estate covering an impressive 886 hectares. His greatest wish was to connect these estates and merge them into a single entity. The architect Hermann Wentzel focused primarily on the architectural elements. Landscape architects Johan David Zocher Jr. and Eduard Petzold were commissioned to enhance the natural beauty of the estate. 

The English landscape garden style

Zocher and Petzold were inspired by the English landscape garden style. This style became fashionable at the end of the 18th century. The elite had grown tired of the French garden, in which everything was symmetrical and could be taken in at a single glance. Furthermore, maintaining a classically symmetrical garden was far more expensive than maintaining a landscape park. The shift in taste was partly due to artists, who were increasingly painting romantic, park-like landscapes. The elite wanted to experience this in real life! Therefore, instead of being tamed, nature was allowed to run free. The English garden is thus full of groups of trees and beautiful shrubberies. During the design process, maximum use was made of the natural topography, which offered views of meadows and bodies of water. Because of this variety, there was always something new to see. The parks’ ever-changing, exquisite color compositions and perspectives placed people in the midst of living, continuously evolving paintings. 

Magnificent views

At De Horsten Royal Estates, you can take a fabulous walk along an enormous lake. But no matter where you are, the layout of the islands and peninsulas is such that it is impossible to see the entire lake. This was a clever design by Petzold, which makes the lake appear larger than it actually is and creates a variety of views. In this way, the entire lake makes a considerable impression. A winding path that gradually climbed upward along a gentle slope led to an attractive bench. From there, Prince Frederick’s guests had a perfect view of the gatekeeper’s cottage, which peeked through the trees and always looked stunning. If only we could still enjoy this view today. And, in fact, we can! This splendid scene still exists! 

Lines of sight

Zocher Jr. and Petzold also created many intriguing lines of sight. This sometimes required the felling of many trees. That can be clearly seen if you look from the Seringenberg hillock toward the southeast. A strip of woodland is cleared there, opening up a beautiful view toward the Ter Horst hunting lodge. The winding path between Raaphorst and Ter Horst also offers such a line of sight. This path suddenly takes a turn of nearly 90 degrees, allowing Prince Frederick’s guests to suddenly catch sight of the idyllic village of Voorschoten. The prince made a deep impression on his guests with these surprises.

Deceptive Appearances

Prince Frederick’s parks were meant to give the impression that nature was completely untamed. However, nothing could be further from the truth. The park required a great deal of maintenance, and at times, the prince employed as many as 200 workers at once. For example, each year they cleared 35 kilometers of ditches to ensure that the water could continue to flow freely. The gardeners also kept the lines of sight unobstructed by pruning trees and shrubs. And they carefully maintained the paths so that the elite could enjoy the park without being hit in the face by branches or ending up ankle-deep in nettles.

The Gardens of Ter Horst

Prince Frederick had his parks redesigned in the English landscape style. Ter Horst is an exception. Here, since the last quarter of the 17th century, there has been a geometric French garden, and that remained the case when the prince purchased this country home. Ter Horst lies on a small sand ridge, and the surrounding area was simply too wet to build an English garden. It offers a unique piece of history because the Parks Route is the only location in the Netherlands where this combination of French and English gardens can be found. If you look over the privet hedge along the straight path toward Voorschoten, you can still see the formal lane structures from the 17th century.

Access to the Landscape

Prince Frederick did not limit the enjoyment of the landscape to his guests alone; ordinary people were also allowed to walk through it when he was not at home. This is typical of the prince’s compassionate nature, as he was under no obligation to allow this. Visitors could request a ticket in writing and purchase it from his steward or lord chamberlain of the household. Not much has changed: today, you still need to purchase an admission ticket to De Horsten. 

Discover it for yourself!

Have these stories piqued your curiosity about the beautiful landscape parks of Prince Frederick? Then come visit them! Enjoy the lovely, purple-flowering Seringenberg, the lakes, and the winding paths. Climb the various hillocks for a breathtaking view, and, above all, let yourself be surprised by all the amazing things De Horsten has to offer.