Rijswijk: Holiday apartments and holiday homes

Rijswijk combines a distinctive park and country-estate landscape with historic sites, museum work and various guided routes. The Rijswijk country-estate zone is particularly striking: the approximately 200-hectare green zone is embedded in an urban area on the northern side of Rijswijk. It is part of the Hollandse Duinen National Park and the provincial cultural and heritage line “Landgoederen”.

Nature and landscape

The Rijswijk country-estate zone includes seven former country estates: De Voorde, Overvoorde, Steenvoorde, Te Werve, Ter Nieuburch, Den Burch and Welgelegen. This historic heritage is complemented by three parks: Kruisvaarderspark, Julianapark and Rijswijkse Bos. In the south of the city there is also the Stadspark zone, with more than 160 hectares of green space.

Part of this landscape can be appreciated through individual park settings. Wilhelminapark is a large recreational area with ponds, meadows and gently rolling hills. Hofrust Park combines an old wrought-iron entrance gate, a country house, a tea pavilion, mature trees and a rectangular pond. The park also contains a memorial commemorating the Second World War. In Cromvliet Park, groups of shrubs and trees, winding paths and lawns alternate. It is also home to a country house of the same name dating from the 17th century, which was restored in 1994.

History and culture

Museum Rijswijk collects, preserves and presents the history of Rijswijk. Its main focuses include artists from Rijswijk, art created in Rijswijk, the Peace of Rijswijk and the poet Tollens, who lived in the current museum building. In even-numbered years, the Paper Biennial takes place at the museum; in odd-numbered years, the Textile Biennial.

Another historic focal point is the Oude Kerk. It is considered the oldest building in Rijswijk and was the centre of the village for centuries. The “Monumentenwandeling Oud-Rijswijk” leads through the old centre past several municipal and state-listed monuments. The “Architectuur in Leeuwendaal” tour presents a different architectural focus. It highlights examples of Art Nouveau, De Stijl and the Amsterdam School, while also explaining the development of the neighbourhood. Leeuwendaal was laid out between 1900 and 1940 in the English landscape style.

Observation and guided tours

Sterrenwacht Rijswijk organises public evenings featuring astronomical presentations in the reception room, a guided tour, and observations in the dome and on the roof terrace. Visitors can look through the large telescope in the dome; in clear weather, the stars can be observed from the roof terrace.

Routes

The municipality of Rijswijk lists the “Wandelroute Rijswijk: Landgoed, Stad en waterwerk” as one of the hiking routes in the Rijswijk country-estate zone. The “Landgoedwandelen: Rijswijk” route is 6.5 kilometres long and follows part of the estates and country houses around the historic centre of Rijswijk. Its starting point is Museum Rijswijk in the Tollenshuis, Herenstraat 67, 2282 BR Rijswijk.

The history of the estates can also be explored by bicycle. The “Fietstocht langs de Rijswijks landgoederen” cycling tour visits preserved estates that, as private property, can only be viewed from the outside. The history of the various estates is explained along the route.

Local navigation

Rijswijk has the NS-station Rijswijk railway station at Pyramideplein 5, 2283 CK Rijswijk. For further local navigation, Rijswijk, Rijswijk are available.

For the higher-level travel overview: South Holland.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Teylingen, Ouderkerk, Rotterdam, Graafstroom, Rijnwoude, Noordwijkerhout.