What if these serene gardens of Beeckestijn could whisper tales? Tales of Amsterdam’s wealthy regents seeking refuge. It is Beeckestijn, a historical buitenplaats in Velsen-Zuid. This estate offers an enchanting glimpse into the lives of those who shaped its legacy.
Beeckestijn’s story stretches back to the 15th century. It evolved from a fortified land house to the elegant estate we see today. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Amsterdam families owned this buitenplaats. The families used it as a summer house.
Let’s step back to the early 18th century. Jan Trip the Younger, along with his wife Petronella Wilhelmina van Hoorn, transformed Beeckestijn between 1716 and 1721. Their combined coat of arms graces the main building’s entrance. Imagine Ignatius van Logteren, a renowned artist, adding his stucco artistry to the house.
Years later, in 1742, Jacob Boreel Jansz, a powerful Amsterdam regent, acquired Beeckestijn. Boreel brought significant changes to the house and gardens. He added side wings and coach houses. Influenced by his time as a diplomat in England, Boreel envisioned an English-style garden. Johann Georg Michael, a German garden architect, designed winding paths, water features, and romantic structures. Beeckestijn became home to one of the first English gardens in the Netherlands.
Beeckestijn’s location was once near the Wijkermeer, part of the IJ. Legend says Willem Boreel van Hogelanden used his influence to reroute the Noordzeekanaal’s path. This saved Beeckestijn from demolition.
During World War II, Beeckestijn became part of the Atlantikwall. The main building was camouflaged, and bunkers were built in the garden.
In 1952, the municipality of Velsen purchased Beeckestijn. A decade-long restoration began in 1959. The formal gardens and landscape park were slowly restored to their former glory. Beeckestijn became a museum.
In 2007, Beeckestijn was transferred to Vereniging Hendrick de Keyser. The gardens and park became managed by Vereniging Natuurmonumenten. Today, the landhuis functions as a museum house with period rooms.
Beeckestijn boasts twelve national monuments. The main building stands as a white-painted brick country house. Rectangular additions from 1772 adorn the front facade. The entrance features Ionic pilasters and the Trip and Van Hoorn alliance coat of arms.
Two white-painted coach houses from the 18th century flank the front courtyard. The formal garden behind the house reflects a 17th-century geometric design. The landscape park showcases J.G. Michael’s 18th-century vision.
An 18th-century garden wall with playhouses graces the front of Beeckestijn. Near the right coach house stands an 18th-century serpentine wall.
In the southwest corner lies a garden house built in 1770. It is shaped like a chapel. An 18th-century ice cellar is tucked away in the formal garden.
The entrance gate to the main building’s courtyard dates back to the 18th century. The gate features brick pillars adorned with stone vases.
Beeckestijn stands as a testament to changing tastes and historical preservation. From its humble beginnings to its current status as a museum, Beeckestijn invites us to wander through centuries of Dutch history and garden design.