This imposing building in Haarlem is now used as a government building, but once upon a time, it was a summer residence for Princess Wilhelmina of Prussia, Princess of Orange and mother to King William I of the Netherlands. She lived there in the summer from 1814 until her death in 1820. The building was actually built by Henry Hope from 1785 and 1789 and he also used it as a summer home. Prince Wilhelmina of Prussia first visited the residence as a visitor to Henry Hope in 1788. It was purchased by Napoleon’s brother Louis Bonaparte who was briefly King of Holland. It was he who gave the villa its current name.
There are a few rooms that you could only visit with a ‘tour’, which unfortunately was not on the website and I had no room in my schedule to wait. Quite a shame! The building is not usually open to the public as it’s still in use as a government building. It only opens for Open Monumentsday and things like that. I love that they have preserved quite a few items and that it isn’t just offices.
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