This stunning building was once home to the royals of the Netherlands and now stands as an icon of their luxurious and artistic lifestyle. Rosie Khdir takes a tour around the Royal Palace Het Loo.

Paleis Het Loo, meaning “The Woods Palace”, was bought by Stadholder King William III of Orange in 1684 with the intension of building upon its medieval structure.

By 1692 the symmetrical Dutch Baroque style royal residence was completed and in 1693 the gardens were embellished further by famous French designer Claude Desgotz.

This palace was inhabited by the Royal family of the Netherlands, the House of Orange-Nassau, from 1686 until 1975 and even though they no longer walk the halls, the beautiful and decadent furnishings, paintings and sculptures still decorate its rooms.

In 1960 Queen Wilhelmina, the last inhabitant of the palace, declared that the property would be passed on to the state after her death and has since been turned into a wonderful museum for the public.

Various rooms of the palace are laid out as if the royal family still lived there, with tapestries covering the walls, chandeliers hanging from the ceilings and elaborate fabrics decorating the four poster beds.

The wings of the palace hold museum exhibitions such as the current “Through the lens of Professor Pieter Van Vollenhoven”, which is a presentation of beautiful photographs taken by Van Vollenhoven around the palace in the last five years. This show runs from now until 5th September 2010.

The splendour of the palace itself is no doubt a sight to behold but the real beauty of the Royal Palace Het Loo lies in its gardens. The palace is surrounded by woodlands (hence its name) and contains pergolas, terraces, statues and fountains, which are always in motion. These stunning seventeenth century grounds are completely unique, and are even more breathtaking in spring or summer.

The Palace Het Loo and its gardens are open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00am to 5.00pm. Visit the official site for more information.

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Image courtesy of Holland.com

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