Drakesteijn
Encyclopedia
Drakesteijn or Drakestein is a small castle at 9 Slotlaan in the hamlet of Lage Vuursche
, in the municipality of Baarn
. The owner is Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
. Beatrix bought the castle in 1959, when she was the Crown Princess, and took up residence in 1963. After her marriage in 1966 she continued to live there with her husband, Prince Claus and later their three sons as well. After Beatrix succeeded her mother Juliana as Queen of the Netherlands in 1980, the family moved to The Hague in 1981.
Because of renovation plans announced in 2006, there is speculation that Beatrix will move back into the castle after she abdicates (retires) as Queen in favour of Prince Willem-Alexander, next in line of succession to the Dutch throne
.
A house called Drakesteijn at this location was first mentioned in 1359, but the current building was constructed in the years 1640–1643 for a Gerard van Reede. It should not be confused with the nearby Klein Drakesteijn ("Little Drakesteijn"; located at 4 Kloosterlaan), which was built in 1780.
The royal connection aside, its most distinctive feature is its octagonal shape. It is surrounded by a moat that can be crossed via a bridge. Its style can be described as Classicist.
Lage Vuursche
Lage Vuursche is a village in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the municipality of Baarn, and lies about 5 km west of Soest, in the middle of the forest. Drakestein, the former residence of Queen Beatrix, is situated just east of the village.In 2001, the village of Lage-Vuursche...
, in the municipality of Baarn
Baarn
Baarn is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht.-The municipality Baarn :The municipality of Baarn consists of the following towns: Baarn, Eembrugge, Lage Vuursche.- The town Baarn :...
. The owner is Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...
. Beatrix bought the castle in 1959, when she was the Crown Princess, and took up residence in 1963. After her marriage in 1966 she continued to live there with her husband, Prince Claus and later their three sons as well. After Beatrix succeeded her mother Juliana as Queen of the Netherlands in 1980, the family moved to The Hague in 1981.
Because of renovation plans announced in 2006, there is speculation that Beatrix will move back into the castle after she abdicates (retires) as Queen in favour of Prince Willem-Alexander, next in line of succession to the Dutch throne
Line of succession to the Dutch Throne
The 1814 constitution stated that the oldest son of the monarch would succeed him , followed by the monarch's brother or his son. Only when there would be a complete lack of males in his near family, would the oldest daughter of the monarch succeed him...
.
A house called Drakesteijn at this location was first mentioned in 1359, but the current building was constructed in the years 1640–1643 for a Gerard van Reede. It should not be confused with the nearby Klein Drakesteijn ("Little Drakesteijn"; located at 4 Kloosterlaan), which was built in 1780.
The royal connection aside, its most distinctive feature is its octagonal shape. It is surrounded by a moat that can be crossed via a bridge. Its style can be described as Classicist.