De Steeg – Landgoed Rhederoord

Rhederoord Estate is a historic country estate in De Steeg, created by the purchase of a series of lands and farms in the 17th century. Part of it is a park on the southern slope of the moraines of the Veluwezoom National Park, where

Rhederoord Estate is a historic country estate in De Steeg, created by the purchase of a series of lands and farms in the 17th century. Part of it is a park on the southern slope of the moraines of the Veluwezoom National Park, where rare, exotic trees grow. The estate is now a nationally protected historic estate.

Rhederoord estate

The Rhederoord estate was founded in the 17th century when Willem Everwijn purchased several farms and meadows between Rheden and De Steeg. His grandson Willem Reynier Brantsen, mayor of Arnhem, came from a prominent Gelderland regent and merchant family. He built a house on the estate and laid out a park in the French Baroque style. The house and park have subsequently been adapted several times, each time to the style of that time. The country estate remained the property of the Brantsen family until 1911.

Giant sequoias

In 1868, the park was transformed according to a design by the German landscape architect Eduard Petzold. He had various groups of trees planted, including exotic and rare tree species such as sequoias. These giant sequoias, some of which are over 150 years old, thrive here thanks to their location on the sheltered southern slope of the moraine. Some sequoias and old beech trees are more than 40 meters high, which is very unusual in the Netherlands. In the 40-hectare park you can walk for hours on the sloping paths, which offer views of the house, the tree groups and the IJsseldal.

Country house and coach house

In 1970, Huis Rhederoord was given the status of a national monument. Thirty years later, the estate was given the status of a nationally protected complex ‘historic country estate’, so that Rhederoord is preserved as an ensemble of park landscaping, buildings and other components. The estate has been in private hands since 2003. In 2010, a natural water source was tapped during the conversion of the country house and coach house into a hotel and restaurant. The Veluwe water from this 159 meter deep source seeped through all layers of the earth to the source 4,000 years ago. This pure water is now served to guests in the restaurant.