A Return to Kasteel de Haar

Somewhere in The Netherlands

March 2026

A Return to Kasteel de Haar

Just north of Utrecht lies Kasteel de Haar, a place I first visited in the late 1980s shortly after moving to the city for a new job. Since it was my turn to organize our group outing, I thought revisiting this stunning castle would be the perfect choice. The question was, how to get there without a car. When I checked the 9292 app, I realized that cycling would take just as long as public transport. I decided to take the bike and arrived just after my friends had pulled up. My husband joined us shortly after his dentist appointment. We kicked off the afternoon with a lovely lunch and a walk through the gardens, catching up on life before heading in for our guided tour.
Kasteel de Haar is the largest and most luxurious castle in the Netherlands. While it looks like a medieval fortress, complete with a drawbridge and terrifying gargoyles, it is actually the result of a massive Neo-Gothic reconstruction between 1892 and 1912. The ruins of the first castle were rebuilt by the renowned architect Pierre Cuypers, the architect behind the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Central Station. The project was funded by the Rothschild family following the marriage of Baron Étienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt to Baroness Hélène de Rothschild. The Van Zuylen family’s red-and-white diagonal stripes decorate the castle shutters and even the surrounding village.

Luxury, Secrets, and "The September Tradition"

While the exterior looks ancient, the interior was incredibly modern for its time, featuring some of the first electric lights and central heating systems in the country, as we saw in the luxurious guest room on the upper levels. We also caught a glimpse of the servants’ quarters, which were modest in comparison. Life for the staff was strictly regulated with one golden rule: “What happens within the walls, stays within the walls.” Gossiping among themselves was expected, but leaking a single detail to the outside world meant immediate termination.

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When I first visited years ago, the castle was still the private seasonal home of the family. They maintained a famous tradition of living there only during September, hosting parties for icons like Coco Chanel, Brigitte Bardot, and Maria Callas. Locals always knew the family had arrived because of the distinctive aromas that spread as the servants spent days freshening and “airing out” the rooms that had been closed up for the rest of the year.

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After our guided tour, we made our way to the Main Hall. Standing there, it’s easy to see why it’s often compared to the interior of a cathedral; the height of the ceiling, the detailed limestone and wood carvings are breathtaking. We followed the path through the private living quarters of the former owners before ending our visit in the giant kitchen. Its centerpiece is the Drouet stove, a massive, custom-made cast-iron range that was incredibly advanced for its time. It was somewhat sad to see that this kitchen is no longer used for the grand feasts it was built to create.

A Perfect Ending to a Day Well Spent

After our visit, we cycled while our friends drove to Vleuten to end the day with dinner. After our meal, we said goodbye and headed home, content from a day in good company.

Date

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Museum

Castle De Haar

Location

Kasteellaan 1,
3455 RR Haarzuilens
The Netherlands

Highlight

The Guided Tour

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