Four years ago, I saw the Green Heart for the first time. My first impression of this area was endless green countryside and historical buildings lying in hidden corners. I caught sight of Kasteel de Haar (Castle de Haar) from the roadside, but never had the chance to visit it. Even in the distance, the building’s elegance stayed in my mind. When it came time to introduce my father to castles in the Netherlands, I could hardly think of a better place to visit. It was a first time trip for all three of us into the castle. The drive took around an hour, but we spent some time exploring with the car through the countryside too. It’s can’t be a tour until we see at least one windmill. I swear we saw thirty today. Our stops also included looking at the American store in Wassenaar, and a reconstructed section of Roman road alongside the motorway.
Castle de Haar is set in a beautiful wooded area holding a small lake and historical buildings as part of the complex. We took the “fairytale tour” of the castle, which provided an entertainment storyline for children visiting the castle. Overall we saw 5% or less of the 200 rooms, but the little we saw was mindstaggering. Every room was steeped in detail and historical artifacts. Quite a memorable visit 🙂
Remnants of Roman road
Posing with the reconstruction Roman road marker
G and my dad
Above the entrance to the castle
Waterfront beside the castle
Swans in the lake beside the castle
Castle selfie