Zeist, Utrecht and De Bilt

Utrecht, a vibrant student city and the capital of the province of the same name in the heart of the Netherlands. The foundation for the city was already laid by the Romans around 50 AD, but the current city was probably established 650 years later, as a spiritual center with two churches. In 1122, Utrecht was granted city rights and the construction of the Oudegracht and the city wall began. Due to its central location in the Netherlands, the city has become a crowd puller, with the Dom Tower attracting many visitors. This landmark of the city is the highest church tower in the Netherlands (112.32 meters high). Behind the Dom there was a secret meeting place for homosexuals in the eighteenth century, a memorial stone has been placed at this location to commemorate the Utrecht residents who were caught and sentenced to death. A resident of the city, because of this name, often prefers to be called "Utrechter". The route starts at Profile het Rijwielpaleis. Here you get a 10 euro discount on maintenance and repairs when you show your bicycle discount card, so this is a great opportunity to give your bike a quick service before you leave and head for Slot Zeist. Slot Zeist was built in the seventeenth century as a pleasure garden. It is one of the first castles in the Netherlands that was built in the baroque style. A large part of the castle has remained intact and is still the same as a few centuries ago. Nowadays the castle serves as a conference centre. There is another, smaller castle in Zeist. Blikkenburg was probably built in the fourteenth century. It is one of the few castles that has always remained privately owned over the years. The original castle was made of brick and was demolished in 1627. After this, the current house was built, which still serves as a home today. Then you come to a castle and farm near Bunnik: De Beesde. The oldest mention of De Beesde dates from 1395. The castle was originally built as a residential tower towards the end of the fourteenth century or the beginning of the fifteenth century. The west wing was added in the eighteenth century and the north side in the nineteenth century. This castle is also privately inhabited. Kasteel Rhynauwen is located on the right bank of the Rhine, just outside the town of Bunnik. The house was first mentioned in the thirteenth century, but the current castle dates from the eighteenth century. The house was built on the site where its predecessor stood. The building is owned by the municipality of Utrecht and in 2013 a youth hostel was established in the castle. Then you pass a number of forts, which are spread throughout the area but all belong together; Fort Rhynauwen, Fort Vossegat, Fort de Bilt and Fort Voordorp. The forts are part of the New Dutch Waterline and the Defence Line of Utrecht. They were built in strategic locations and defend the surrounding area and the land behind it. The entire defense line runs from Muiden to the Biesbosch, the defensive works extend over 85 kilometers. Not only did forts help guard the border line, but water was also used as an effective means to put a spanner in the works of enemies. Since 2005, the New Dutch Waterline has been designated as a national landscape, four years later the entire line was given the status of National Monument. Since 2010, the defense line has been a candidate for the UNESCO World Heritage List. And rightly so, because the New Dutch Waterline is a beautiful nature reserve with forts, shelters for birds and protected animal species and water management feats that are visible and hidden in the landscape. On the way back to Zeist you will pass two beautiful estates. Vollenhoven originally belonged to the Benedictine monastery Oostbroek in De Bilt and its history goes back to the sixteenth century. In 1922, Vollenhoven was auctioned. Mr. M. van Marwijk Kooy bought it then, together with his father-in-law. In 1966, part of the estate was sold, on which the Zeist residential area'Vollenhoven\\\' was built. When the A28 was constructed, the last changes were made to the estate. The last estate on the route, Beerschoten, is a beautiful forest area near the city of Utrecht. In 1889, Huize Beerschoten was built in neo-renaissance style. The estate forms a large nature reserve of 378 hectares. In the nineteenth century, the park forest at Beerschoten was designed in the English landscape style by garden architect JD Zocher jr. Many rare animals and plants can be found on the estate.