Grand and Compelling
Nobility on the Hair

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Castle de Haar all about the grand and compelling life of the nobility: because of the great interest and appreciation, the exhibition 'Grand and Compelling' has been extended until July 7! Discover all about the extraordinary lives, traditions and privileges that we can hardly imagine in the present time.

Did you know that Kasteel de Haar has existed since 1150 and that its residents have belonged to the nobility for over 800 years? Of course, that meant something different in 1300 than it does today. But there are certainly similarities between all those noble castle residents. In any case, they lived Grootsch en Meesleepend! This exhibition highlights them through stories and special objects. A special tour about the life of the staff at De Haar is also available with this exhibition: In service of the nobility.

Seeing and being seen

Is it the politics of marriage, their ancestor madness, the privileged position or perhaps all of these that ensured that nobility lived grand and compelling lives. Although today most noble families cannot live on land ownership and taxes are simply paid in the Netherlands today, for centuries this was very different. Rich marriages, phenomenal parties and sprinkling your family crest, the nobility not only held special privileges, but lived Grand & Meeslependant in everything.

Marriage Policy

Something typically noble, for example, is strategic marriage. Dirk van Zuylen of Harmelen Castle married Yosina of De Haar Castle in 1434. Their offspring called themselves Van Zuylen van de Haer and owned two castles, twice as much land and twice as many special rights! Hundreds of years later, Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt dashed in the nobility books names of the families with the most land and the greatest fortune. For his sons to choose a wife from those. You can rightly call that marriage politics.

What burly fellows those Van Zuylens were!

In 1890, Etienne Baron Van Zuylen van Nijevelt decided to transform the badly dilapidated ruin De Haar into a castle that was sublime in every way. Baron Etienne turned the castle into a kind of family museum, as a tribute to his noble ancestors. He was so impressed by all that his ancestors had accomplished that he said to architect Cuypers, "what stout fellows those Van Zuylens were!". The assignment to rebuild Castle de Haar was one that architect Pierre Cuypers understood like no other. Because of his expressive ability, the castle and its interior have become a "readable" history book that honors all the "stout fellows of the van Zuylens.

Nobility on The Hair

Here too, at De Haar, celebrations were lavish, it was all about impressing family and important influential people, and living large. The Van Zuylen van Nijevelt family was an important name in international and national politics. And the baron and baroness led a much more flamboyant life than was the custom in the Netherlands at the time.

until July 7, 2023

Discover how the nobility lived on De Haar, what it meant to be of nobility, what privileges, but also obligations came with nobility, then and now.

No separate tickets need to be purchased for the exhibition. A ticket for a castle visit also gives access to the exhibition. Would you also like to know how the staff was "in the service of the nobility"? Then also book the exclusive tour "in the service of the nobility". This tour takes you high up in the castle and past staff rooms.

As an addition to the temporary exhibition "Grand & Compelling - Nobility on De Haar," children can playfully complete interactive assignments in the castle and bring out their creativity during the discovery tour "Typical Adel!". The children's activity is a fun mix of creativity and knowledge.

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