“Timo the Wizard,” they called him. Legend says this wise man lived in an old oak in Muiderberg. People sought his counsel. But as he aged, Timo only repeated their words. It is said that this is how the Echobos got its name. We are standing in front of the Echomuur.
The Echomuur is located in the Echobos near the IJsselmeerdijk. The current Echomuur dates back to around 1800. It replaced an earlier structure.
Now, look closely. Notice the square brick pillars at each end. The wall’s hollow side is plastered white. The original Echomuur was built around 1660. It was built with the estate Rustrijk. It may have been part of a vegetable garden. The echo here is a “gelijksprekende echo.” This means “repeating echo”.
The wall is semicircular. It amplifies sound. The echo seems to rise from the ground. Some think there is a hollow space underneath. But the phenomenon’s origin remains unconfirmed.
Rustrijk was demolished around 1840. The municipality of Muiden purchased the forest in the early 1930s. Then, they restored the Echomuur and gate. A garden architect named D.F. Tersteeg designed a maze in 1932. But neglect has made it disappear.
The park forest spans seven hectares. It features old beeches, oaks, and lindens. These trees have natural cavities. You can also spot maples and rowans. Stinzen plants grow on the forest floor.
North of the Echomuur, there is a playground. It has acoustic reflectors. It also has speaking tubes.
The Echobos is more than six hectares. It was likely a landscape forest surrounding a grand estate. This estate was named Rustrijk.
The landhuis was demolished 200 years ago. The Echomuur remains from that time. It likely sheltered espaliered fruit trees. You can still see a lush landscape forest. It has meandering ditches. They connect to a pool formed by a dike breach.
Sinuous lanes feature over 200-year-old oaks. Near the Echomuur, beeches stand 200 to 280 years old.
The repeating echo was noted as early as 1613. People began to exploit the echo around 1900. They charged an entrance fee. A maze and an idyllic tea house were built near the Echomuur.
The forest is part of the Ecological Main Structure. The government uses this to maintain a landscape connection zone. It aims to protect and enhance biodiversity. The new term for these areas is National Nature Network. The province oversees it. It is also part of a larger European ecological network.
A bunker stands in the forest. It is part of the New Dutch Waterline. It was built between 1931 and 1940. It could be a bat hibernation site.
Today, the forest is valuable. It is a dry sandy forest. It has ancient oaks and beeches. Its wild character has grown. This is due to some neglect over the past decades.
This “neglect” has greatly benefited the natural values. It has enhanced the forest experience. Woodcocks, squirrels, owls, and bats inhabit the forest. Many mushrooms also thrive here.
Now think for yourself. What secrets does the Echomuur still hold? Perhaps if you listen closely, you can hear echoes of the past.