Burmaniahuis

Welcome to Leeuwarden, a beautiful city in the Netherlands! Today, we will be exploring Het Burmaniahuis, a magnificent mansion that has stood the test of time. Het Burmaniahuis is a monumental mansion located in the heart of Leeuwarden. It is believed that a stins (a type of medieval fortress) stood on the Oldehove as early as the 15th century, which was one of the terpdorpen (artificially raised villages) that eventually became part of Leeuwarden. In 1555, Rienck van Burmania, the drost (governor) of Coevorden, renovated the then-existing Burmaniahuis. The house remained in the ownership of the Van Burmania family until the early 19th century. In 1816, Jhr. Mr. Idsert Aebinga van Humalda, the governor of Friesland, purchased the house from the heirs of the Van Burmania family. Around 1843, Idzerd Frans van Eysinga, a nephew of Aebinga van Humalda, moved into the house with his family. The house was inherited by jkvr. Clara Tjallinga Aedonia van Eysinga, daughter of Idzerd Frans van Eysinga and wife of Bernhardus Hopperus Buma, a former mayor of Leeuwarden. They demolished the old house and commissioned architect Jurjen Bruns to design the new mansion that stands today. Bruns created a two-story building in the neorenaissance style. In 1889, the mansion required some structural changes, and architect Hendrik Hendriks Kramer was hired to make the necessary adjustments. Kramer did not agree with the decorative style of his predecessor, so he replaced the ornate pediment with a simpler one and gave the richly decorated windows a more streamlined frame. The mansion was occupied by Wiardus Willem Hopperus Buma, son of Bernhardus Hopperus Buma and Clara Tjallinga Aedonia van Eysinga, until he became the mayor of Hennaarderadeel in 1898. Today, Het Burmaniahuis is open to the public and serves as a museum. Visitors can admire the beautiful architecture and learn about the history of the mansion and its former occupants. The museum also hosts various exhibitions throughout the year, so be sure to check their website for current events. Thank you for joining me on this tour of Het Burmaniahuis. I hope you enjoyed learning about this fascinating piece of Leeuwarden's history!

Location: Leeuwarden

Inception: 1875

Architectural style: Renaissance Revival architecture

Source: Wikimedia