Autumn along the Field Ponds in Het Loo Palace Park by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About "Autumn along the Field Ponds in Het Loo Palace Park"

by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About the artwork

Paleis Het Loo is a palace located on the outskirts of Apeldoorn. The palace was occupied by members of the Royal Family of the Netherlands until 1975. Since 1984, it has been open to the public as National Museum Paleis het Loo and hosts exhibitions and events. The palace is owned by the State of the Netherlands.

Like the Koninklijke Houtvesterij, the palace park is part of crown estate Het Loo, the largest contiguous estate in the Netherlands characterised by a rich cultural history, great biological diversity and lots of scenic beauty. The area exudes tranquillity, beauty and harmony in a vast and large-scale landscape. The Crown Estate was a favourite hunting ground of the royal family. Close to the palace, in Huis Het Loo, Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven currently live. Behind Het Loo is the Old Loo, which was leased by the state to Princess Beatrix, later to her eldest son, King Willem-Alexander.

From the 17th century onwards, the Palace Park worked to beautify the landscape. With paths, ponds and alternation between clearings and areas of trees, a varied landscape has been created that looks natural. The western and northern part of Palace Park consisted of heathland after its purchase in the 19th century. These were sown with Scots pines. Now these are varied forest areas with small heaths here and there. An old meltwater valley from the penultimate ice age, the Wilhelmina Valley, is still visible in this part of the park.

It was lovely walking along the Field Ponds of Het Loo Palace Park on this sunny autumn afternoon.