De Wiersse House in Vorden dates back to the 13th century and owes its fame to the beautiful gardens constructed in the early 20th-century by Alice de Stuers, daughter of the famous historic preservationist Victor de Stuers. The gardens are still maintained by the De Stuers family.
Victor de Stuers
The most famous owner of De Wiersse House was, without doubt, Victor de Stuers (1843-1916). Originally from Maastricht, De Stuers studied law in Leiden, after which, he took up politics. He is considered the founder of the Dutch historic preservation movement. As a senior official responsible for the arts, he commissioned the construction of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and chose the Catholic Pierre Cuypers from Limburg as its architect. King William III was so opposed to this choice that he refused to open the museum.
The gardens
The current gardens were the creation of Alice de Stuers, Victor’s only child and heir. The beautiful gardens (16 hectares) and landscaped park (32 ha) combine the symmetry of the 18th century with the romanticism of the 19th century. This results in an exquisite contrast of straight lanes, romantic ponds, intimate gardens, panoramic views statues, bridges, fountains, pergolas, a rose garden and a vegetable garden. Guided tours of the gardens can be made by appointment.
Great hall
Alice also brought the 17th-century furnishings for the Great Hall at De Wiersse House from her father’s house in The Hague. The Great Hall is located in the coach house and includes brass chandeliers, Belgian gilt-leather wallpaper from Mechelen and tapestries from Antwerp. Today, the hall is used for serving coffee and lunch to visitors who have booked a guided tour of the gardens. The main building itself is not accessible to visitors, but those wishing to stay overnight can reserve one of the apartments available in an old Saxon farmhouse on the estate.
