De Haar Castle

About

De Haar’s foundation dates back to the 14th century, when a fortified residence was built by a manservant of the Prince-bishop of Utrecht. However, the current castle was built at the end of the 19th century when baron Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt, inherited the ruined estate, and married the French baroness Helene de Rothschild. With the help of her immense fortune, he was able to build a new castle, filled with extravagant fixings, and decorated with valuable antiques the couple collected from, such as an 18th century Japanese palanquin that once belonged to the infamous Tokugawa family. Visitors can enjoy a tour of this private museum and display of wealth year-round, except September when the family comes to stay.