Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: country estate

The history of Buitenplaats Beeckestijn (summer residence Beeckestijn) goes back to the 15th century. Beeckestijn used to be a country house for rich merchants from Amsterdam. In 1742, Jan Jacob Boreel bought Beeckestijn. Of all the residents, he left his mark on the appearance of the estate the most. Since early 2011, Natuurmonumenten has been the manager of the gardens and the park forest. The publicly accessible gardens of Beeckestijn are unique in the Netherlands, because it is the only location where one can simultaneously view two historically different styles. Just behind the manor a geometrically conceived part in the style of the French Baroque and adjacent a more natural English landscape park. Beeckestijn also has so-called utility gardens, such as a vegetable garden, orchard and herb garden. One of these gardens has a serpentine wall on two sides. The Netherlands only has eight of these walls left, two of which are at Beeckestijn. The winding shape retains heat from the sun and ensures that espalier fruit such as peaches, apricots and other exotic fruits can grow here. Garden and park forest are managed by ‘Natuurmonumenten’ - a Dutch society for preservation of nature monuments in the Netherlands.

Buitenplaats Beeckestijn (summer residence Beeckestijn) is an 18th century estate and one of the few entirely intact large country houses, which was created as summer residences for wealthy Amsterdam merchants and regents on the edge of the dunes in Kennemerland. The present building was created from a 17th century manor and had several alterations and extensions. The most extensive expansion took place between 1716 and 1721, commissioned by Jan Trip jr. and Petronella van Hoorn. Among other things the 17th century façade was replaced by a Louis-XIV façade, with chequered pilasters and a richly decorated entrance. For more than two centuries Beeckestijn remained in the ownership of the Boreel family, until it was acquired by the municipality of Velsen in 1952. During WW II the house was seriously damaged. It became uninhabitable and key interior elements disappeared; the restoration was completed in 1969. The manor is now owned and managed by ‘Vereniging Hendrick de Keyser’ - an association for the preservation of historic houses in the Netherlands. Since June 2019 Buitenplaats Beeckestijn is a museum, where one can experience the atmosphere in which the rich merchants of Amsterdam used to live.

Most probably the first state (residential manor) was built in the year of 1599. On the same spot the present stately house was built in 1647/48 by Johannes Sytzes Crack, grietman (a kind of mayor) of Aengwirden’. Architect was Willem de Keyser, son of the famous Dutch architect Hendrick de Keyser. The face of the building therefore has some similarity with the houses along the canals of Amsterdam. The building is surrounded by a moat. The bridge over the water dates - as specified on a bricked stone - from 1775. The port for the bridge comes away from the town of Horn and mentions the year 1819. Up to 1833 the house was the residence of the Crack family, when it became a public building, used as a court-house. Crackstate was a very notorious place during World War II, when it was used for torturing and executing people. From 1952 Crackstate is part of the town hall of the municipality of Heerenveen. It is located nearby the town centre.

Beeckestijn is an 18th century estate and one of the few entirely intact large country houses, which was created as summer residences for wealthy Amsterdam regents on the edge of the dunes in Kennemerland. The present building was created from a 17th century manor and had several alterations and extensions. The most extensive expansion took place between 1716 and 1721, commissioned by Jan Trip jr. and Petronella van Hoorn. Among other things the 17th century façade was replaced by a Louis-XIV façade, with chequered pilasters and a richly decorated entrance. For more than two centuries Beeckestijn remained in the ownership of the Boreel family, until it was acquired by the municipality of Velsen in 1952. During WW II the house was seriously damaged. It became uninhabitable and key interior elements disappeared; the restoration was completed in 1969. The publicly accessible gardens of Beeckestijn are unique in the Netherlands, because it is the only location where one can simultaneously view two historically different styles. Just behind the manor a geometrically conceived part in the style of the French Baroque and adjacent a more natural English landscape park. The manor is now owned by ‘Vereniging Hendrick de Keyser’ - an association for the preservation of historic houses in the Netherlands - and the garden and park by ‘Natuurmonumenten’ - a society for preservation of nature monuments in the Netherlands.

Fogelsangh State is built on the site where in the 12th century a monastery (Olijfberg – Mount of Olives) has stand. At the time of the Reformation (1580) the monastery, like all church property, was confiscated and ownership became to the Council of Friesland. In 1639 the building was bought by Theodorus van Fogelsangh and in 1646 it went to his brother Pibo, who named himself after his mother, Doma. In the 18th and 19th century the house was rebuilt several times, the last restoration dates from 2001 to 2003. Since its construction in 1646 the country estate is still private owned through inheritance by a member of the Harinxma thoe Slooten family. Fogelsangh State nowadays is a museum (part of the Friesland Museum) and houses, among other exhibits, the quite famous ‘Iddekinge porcelain collection’.

Most probably the first ‘state’ was built in the year of 1608 by a member of the Crack-family. On the same spot the present stately house was built in 1648 by Johannes Sytzes Crack, ‘grietman (a kind of mayor) of Aengwirden’. Architect was Willem de Keyser, son of the famous Dutch architect Hendrick de Keyser. The face of the building therefore has some similarity with the houses along the canals of Amsterdam. The building is surrounded by a moat. The bridge over the water dates - as specified on a bricked stone - from 1775. The port for the bridge comes away from the Frisian village of Horn and mentions the year 1819. Up to 1833 the house was the residence of the Crack family, when it became a public building, used as a court-house. From 1952 Crackstate is part of the town hall of the municipality of Heerenveen. It is located nearby the town centre.

Dekema State: a country estate in the 14th century originally built as a fortified dwelling. Rebuilt many times till its last restoration in 2004.

Dekema State: drive way from the Dekemawei to the mansion with lime trees pruned like a candelabrum. (De oprijlaan met gecandelaberde linden, ook wel 'zwarte singel' genoemd'.)