In and around Zeist

Fields surrounded by forests, oak coppice forests and old lanes and old avenues where American oaks rise high into the sky. The Kozakkenput near Zeist is a beautiful area that is ideal for cycling tours. If you pay attention, you will catch a glimpse of the long-eared owl, which hunts its prey in this area. The Kozakkenput owes its name to the fact that in 1804 a 20,758-strong French-Batavian army conducted military exercises here and set up camp. The lieutenant-general at the head of this army had 30 wells dug 10 metres deep on the heath to provide his troops with water. Zeist is first mentioned in a charter from 838. The core of the then settlement was located around the current 1st and 2nd Dorpsstraat, where a church was built at the end of the twelfth century. The current church was built in the nineteenth century, but still contains the original tower of the old church. The development of Zeist was profoundly influenced by the construction of Slot Zeist in 1685. Many exhibitions of modern artists were held in the beautiful castle. Zeist also has a few other beautiful monuments, such as Kasteel't Kerckebosch, which is hidden in the woods on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug with its beautiful stained glass windows. Villa Blanda is another beautiful building that you can see during your bike ride. This former Utrecht country estate was once surrounded by a gigantic landscape park, of which you can now only see a few remains: the lawn and the trees that line the semi-circular driveway. The rest of the park has since been built on. The gatehouse at the country house was built in 1913 in a rural style, while the main complex has a more eclectic feel.