Amazing castle "De Keukenhof"
Castle "De Keukenhof". This is a castle that has stayed within the same family for centuries by means of inheritance. Its origins are strictly connected to the success of the Golden Age ‘United East Indian Company’ (V.O.C.): the man who built it in 1642 was Adriaen Maertenszoon Block, a former Commander of V.O.C on the Moluccan islands. In that age the Moluccans were especially important because of their precious cloves and the VOC was fighting a grim battle to enforce the monopoly over this spice.
He bought the land of "Keukenduin" (literally ‘kitchen dune’) with the purpose to have his house built there. He then slowly expanded the property and even became the biggest landowner in the area. The castle did not have towers yet, but still the splendid halls on the first floor must have impressed many visitors.
In the following centuries the estate kept growing until 1809 (thanks to squire Steengracht).
The salons are full of furniture dating of many years and styles. For instance, in the book cabinet, a very beautiful and complete Encyclopaedia from 1770 is on display (the Foundation that owns the estate now has employed a team of professionals and volunteers to take care of the many and varied restorations).
The story of the castle’s inhabitants is told by the large collection of painted portraits on the walls. The beautiful interior - still in its original setting - shows how the lords of castle "De Keukenhof" lived. Even the kitchen is still intact and it is still used during festivities and dinner parties at the castle.
Keukenhof Castle is located just outside Lisse, straight across the entrance of the famous Keukenhof Park, garden and flower exposition. The castle can be easily reached by car from Amsterdam and Schiphol; once arrived in Lisse follow the road N208 and the visible street signs pointing to Kasteel Keukenhof.
In the 19th century, the Baron and Baroness Van Pallandt assigned the landscape architect Jan David Zocher and his son Louis Paul Zocher, who had also worked on the Vondelpark, to design the grounds around the castle
