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Haarzuilens
When Baron Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt van de Haar decided to restore
his ancestral castle, he undertook to purchase the grounds that originally
belonged to it. This is the origin of the present estate De Haar, which
sizes up to 450 hectares. The village of Haarzuilens is part of this estate.
The old village
Approximately at the place where the Roman Garden and the Manege were laid
out, the ancient village was situated until 1898. The origins of this picturesque
hamlet are still a mystery. Presumably, the village arose in the Middle
Ages under the protection of the walls of De Haar. The castle village has
hardly grown in size through the ages. Some twenty-five houses were gathered
around a village square with large trees. The village had an inn, which
also served as a council chamber. The approximately 150 inhabitants of the
village earned a living mainly by arable and dairy farming.
The new village
With the first plans to restore the castle in 1891 the subject of relocation
of the old village of Haarzuilens (necessary to lay-out a vast park and
hunting area) was mentioned. Therefore the village was situated 1.5 kilometres
to the east. In 1898, the inhabitants moved into their new homes, accompanied
by great festivities. These houses are also built around a trapezoidal village
square. The most striking building is the 'Wapen van Haarzuilens', which
was designed as an inn and a council chamber. Practically all shutters and
doors in Haarzuilens are red and white, the colours of the Van Zuylen family.
Every year in September, the fun fair of Haarzuilens is traditionally opened
by the Baron who presents a great fire-works display to the inhabitants.
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