Eerde Castle

History of the castle

Eerde Castle has a very rich history. As early as the 14th century, a fortified house made of wood stood here. Its occupant was the notorious robber knight Evert van Essen. From his castle he terrorized the area and hindered merchants from passing through. The bishop of Utrecht and the duped trading towns of Zwolle and Deventer thought enough was enough and had the den of robbers burned down in 1380 during a punitive expedition.

In 1715, Johan Werner van Pallandt had Eerde Castle built. The castle remained in the possession of the family for a long time. The last baron Philip Dirk van Pallandt has an open-door policy in the early 20th century, leading to activities of many groups on the estate. Around 1920, Eerde became the center of the Boy Scout movement. The sage Krishnamurti taught theosophy there between 1925 and 1929. In those years, Eerde estate was one of the most important spiritual centers in the world.

In 1933 the Quakers established a school at Eerde, where in the first years many children of German Jews found refuge. This school grew into the present international school.

Visitor Information

Join the castle tour with an experienced guide over the beautifully restored bel-etage and learn all about the history of the castle. The short walk of about 3 km around the castle is great fun to do. You walk along the beautiful lanes of the park forest and behind the castle you have beautiful views of the Reggedal valley. Also the slightly longer walking route on the Eerde Achterbroek offers a lot of variety in the landscape and farm De Meulenhorst offers a nice resting point. Both walks can also be combined: this longer walk of 10.7 km can be walked via GPS (download the nature route app: Walk Historic Eerde).

View all routes that pass Eerde Estate here.

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