Top 20 Natural Monuments around Voorschoten

It's one of the largest estates in South Holland: De Horsten Estate. It's actually a merger of the three estates Raaphorst, Eikenhorst, and Ter Horst. De Horsten was founded in the mid-19th century and came into the hands of the Royal Family at the beginning of the 20th century when Wilhelmina purchased the estate. The original houses no longer exist, but several (out)buildings remain, including the former hunting lodge. You can now enjoy a cup of coffee or tea there. Most of De Horsten Estate is now open to walkers.

The cultivation and trade of extremely valuable tulips began in the Netherlands after Carolus Clusius brought tulips from Turkey to Europe in 1593. During the Dutch Golden Age, tulip bulbs became an object of speculation. In the 1630s, prices for tulip bulbs rose to comparatively extremely high levels before the market collapsed abruptly in early February 1637 (= the first relatively well-documented speculative bubble in economic history). (Source: Wikipedia) THE TULIP: It came to Europe from Persia and Turkey in the 16th century. The Netherlands, especially Leiden, became the center of tulip cultivation. The "Semper Augustus" became particularly valuable because a virus caused it to have unique red and white flame patterns on its petals. During the tulip mania around 1643, it was recorded as the most expensive tulip in the world (Collection of the Norton Simon Art Foundation, USA). It is unknown who bred the Semper Augustus, as it is a historical, now extinct specimen. However, it became a symbol of the Dutch "tulip mania" (nl = tulpenwoede, tulpengekte) in the 17th century. At its peak in 1637, one bulb of this variety fetched 10,000 guilders, exactly the price of a house on a canal. In 1624, there were only 12 of this variety. (Source: Book "Leidener Runde und Rembrandt Route" by Leiden City Marketing)

🌿🌱After the founding of Leiden University in 1575, it seemed sensible to establish a "hortus medicus," a herb garden where medical students could study medicinal plants. This marked the beginning of a development that continued at the LUMC Academic Hospital and the Bio Science Park. The "Hortus Botanicus Leiden" was established in 1590, making it the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands. 🌷Carolus CLUSIUS, a Hortulanus from Vienna, was the first director of the garden in 1593. He oversaw its design and cultivated the first large tulip collections in Europe. These form the basis of the nearby Keukenhof in Lisse, the "Garden of Leiden." ☘In the 19th century, Philipp Franz von SIEBOLD introduced around 700 previously unknown plants from Japan and China. (Source: Book "Leidener Runde and Rembrandt Route" by the Leiden City Marketing)

Opens at 9:00 am

Here you see the characteristic Scheveningen Water Tower, located in the dunes near Scheveningen (Pompstationsweg 327, The Hague)

Beautiful view of the spot where the Oude Rijn flows into the sea. The wind, currents, and tides change the view every day.

The water tower is located in the Oostduinen dunes near Scheveningen, near Pompstationsweg. It is a national monument. Designed in the Eclectic style by architect Bert Brouwer and civil engineer Theodor Stang, it was built in 1874 by the Hague Dune Water Company.

After the foundation of Leiden University in 1575, it was deemed desirable to create a 'hortus medicus': a garden in which medical students could study medicinal plants. The start of a development that has continued in the Academic Hospital LUMC and the Bio Science Park. Hortus Botanicus Leiden was founded in 1590, making it the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands.