Biljoen Castle

Biljoen Castle ( Dutch: Kasteel Biljoen ) is a moated castle, which was built around 1530. It stands between the Veluwe and the IJssel near the Dutch village Velp in the community Rheden.

The brick building with the monument number 42145 is managed jointly by the " Foundation of Friends gelderländischer Castles" ( " Dutch Stichting Vrienden the Geldersche Kasteelen " ) and the foundation " Het Geldersch Landschap ". It was built by Charles of Egmond, Duke of Gelre and Count of Zutphen, partly from building materials of the nearby Kasteel Overhagen.

Residents and Architectural History

Short of money, the Duke, the castle with the associated rights sold on 1 June 1535 of his house Roelof van Lennep ( 1500-1546 ), Drost of Middelaer. This left it to his son Carl van Lennep (1530-1567), mayor of Arnhem, his grandchildren and his great-grandson Roelof Johan. In 1633, inherited Cunera van Lennep for Billion ( 1600-1657 ), initially married to her nephew Willem van Lennep, later with Willem van Broeckhuysen, the castle. After her death in 1657, her daughter Johanna van Lennep was the new owner. When these died childless, four years later, Biljoen after 126 years owned by the family van Lennep, 1661 sold to Alexander von Spaen.

He built the central building for today's quadrangular building with four corner towers same order, all of which were provided with a Baroque bell-shaped domes. At the input of the portal are broken and replaced by a projecting central part at the tympanum. Spaen expanded the castle estate in 1682 by merger with the farm Groot Beekhuizen. In 1672 the French king Louis XIV built his headquarters temporarily in Biljoen why it - was not burned by the French army under the command of Henri de La Tour d' Auvergne - unlike many other castles. The French Marshal was also Duke of Bouillon, which is another reason for this was undoubtedly that Biljoen was spared.

In 1692, Alexander Bernhard van Spaen the new lord of the manor, but at his death in 1696 the castle estate passed into the possession of his brother Frederik Willem, who finally settling after the forced sale of Till and Moyland in Biljoen. Another time the castle estate was expanded to Overhagen, Nederhagen and Rosande castle. The next owner of Biljoen was Alexander Diederik van Spaen, in his mayor of Wageningen. His son Johan Frederik Willem (1746-1827) left the interior of the castle and its garden and park profoundly change. The death of Alexander Jacobs van Spaen in 1848 marked the end of a period of 187 years of family ownership on Biljoen.

1848 acquired the Baron van Hardenbroek ( 1807-1871 ) the estate. After 19 years he sold most of it to the German industrialist J. H. Willem Lüps. 1872 bought this also the castle, so that the property ultimately remained undivided. Four generations remained the property of it Lüps family that is particularly well preserved it during the following 139 years before died in 2006, the last male heir. In 2008 the castle including 162 acres of land owned by the foundations ' Het Geldersch Landschap " and was acquired " friends gelderländischer castles ".

Interior decoration

Six broad, curved stairs from Blaustein lead to the entrance building in neo-Renaissance style, which is surmounted by a balcony. The design of this comes from the Arnhem architect Lucas Hermanus Eberson ( 1822-1889 ). The double-leaf entrance door is decorated with two bronze knockers in the shape of lion heads.

The white entrance hall has a fourfold Cornucopia ( horn of plenty ) on the ceiling and a dunkelbrlauen stone floor. The walls are decorated with wreaths and garlands. A life-size statue in marble nymph greets visitors.

In the first floor is the Grand Ballroom. He is a fine example of neo-classical interior design.

In several rooms of the castle wall carpets can be seen from the 17th century. In the so-called gentlemen's room two different types of tapestries with animal motifs are joined together. It involves works from the Delft factory of Maximilaan van der Gucht and Amsterdam Alexander Baert tapestries. In the Old Dining Room tapestries hanging from Flanders, made ​​and signed by Simon Bouwens 1650.

Also worth mentioning are the pompous salon Aunt Thea from the beginning of the 20th century, which allows a view of the pond with an island and park, and the old kitchen with an oven and water pump.

Landscape Park

The landscape between Velp Rheden is largely determined by the belonging to Biljoen land with its waters and forests. The system extends along the stream of Beekhuizen in a northeasterly direction until well into the dam area with its elevation changes.

The former formal garden in the French style from the Begin of the 18th century is documented on the so-called card Hottinger ( 1773-1783 ). His ways still form a recognizable structure of the castle park. The system was largely replaced from 1784 by the German landscape architect Johann Georg Michael ( 1737-1800 ) through a romantic landscape park, which respected only some of the previously existing structures and received. The former canal was transformed into a lake with an island, so that nowhere is the entire castle park could be overlooked. It originated as the idea of ​​endlessness. In open spaces round flower beds were created, the inclusion of existing paths curved paths were created, resulting in the visitors always offered new prospects. Between 1810 and 1822 the park was extended by Michael's son, Jan -law David Zocher and given it a uniform appearance.