Huis De Horte, estate in Dalfsen, Netherlands
Huis De Horte is an estate in Dalfsen in the Netherlands, consisting of several historic buildings set within about 80 hectares of gardens and meadows. The main house stands amid old trees, straight paths in the French style, and cultivated grounds, while barns, a former billiard house, and work buildings complete the complex.
The estate was established around 1800 by Johan Matthias van Rhijn, a court official who purchased the land and reshaped the property according to neoclassical principles. During the 19th century, the original 17th-century building received its elegant facade and was expanded with additional structures including a billiard house.
The name 'De Horte' comes from its early owners and has remained unchanged through the centuries. Today, visitors use the estate to walk through gardens, observe wildlife, and explore how people once lived and worked on country estates.
The estate is open to the public for walking and is maintained by a foundation that keeps it accessible to visitors. Marked walking routes of about 2 to 3.5 miles (3.5 to 5.5 kilometers) wind through the gardens and across the meadows, with a viewing tower offering views over the surrounding landscape.
A giant sequoia towers above all other trees and shapes the landscape view of the estate across generations. Visitors can also sit on a bench that hangs over the water of the Emmertochtsloot stream, dangling their feet while watching fish and kingfishers pass below.
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