Soestdijk Palace

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The palace Soestdijk

The Soestdijk Palace ( Dutch: Paleis Soestdijk ) is a castle in the municipality of Baarn, owned by the Dutch Royal House of Orange -Nassau.

History

In 1638 the grounds of today's palace was bought at so-called Zoestdijk of Cornelis de Graeff. He settled there to invest his country house with an adjoining park.

After the turmoil of the Rampjaares hofstede on Zoestdijk by his son Jacob de Graeff at whose childhood friend William III was. sold by Orange. This had built on the site of the villa of a planned Maurits Post a hunting lodge.

The palace served Soestdijk of the Orange family over many years as a summer retreat until it was occupied in 1795 by the French and the new king, Louis Bonaparte, served as a temporary residence.

After the liberation wars of 1814 King William I Soestdijk got as a gesture of thanks offered by the Dutch people. Since this time, several times enlarged palace of the royal family serves as a permanent residence; Queen Juliana used it as their official residence.