Seven former country estates and three parks are part of Rijswijk’s country estate zone, along with sports grounds and a children’s farm. The zone is part of the Hollandse Duinen National Park. This brings green spaces and recreational areas together with historic sites—a combination that makes Rijswijk appealing to visitors with a range of interests.

Country Estates and Nature

Landgoed Te Werve is partly situated on the old Rijswijk beach-ridge landscape and is known, among other things, for its woodland plants and other rare flora and fauna. This shows how Rijswijk’s natural character is reflected both in a specific type of landscape and in its plant and animal life. For visitors interested in these subjects, the country estate zone offers a different focus from the historic buildings in the centre: here, former estates, parks and nature take centre stage.

Explore at Your Own Pace

The free “Rondje Rijswijk” app offers walking and cycling routes in Rijswijk, including routes along the country estate zone. One specific walk, “Landgoedwandelen: Rijswijk,” is listed as 6.5 kilometres long; it starts at Museum Rijswijk in Tollenshuis, Herenstraat 67, 2282 BR Rijswijk. The two options address different planning needs: the app offers a choice of walking and cycling routes, while the named walk gives you a set total distance and a specific starting point. You can choose whether a selection by activity or a clearly defined route length matters more to you.

Museum and Ancient Landscape

Museum Rijswijk is housed in a manor house dating from around 1790, in the old centre. Its sloping garden is one of the few visible remains of the beach-ridge landscape from around 3500 BC. The two dates refer to different things: the manor house dates from approximately 1790, while the earlier date refers to the landscape. Here, the history of the building meets traces of a much older landscape.

Traces in the Woods and the Urban Landscape

History is also marked in Rijswijkse Bos: the foundations by the Herdenkingsnaald mark the site where Huis ter Nieuburch once stood. Huis Te Werve takes us further back, to the Middle Ages. At that time, it was a fortified castle with a moat in the County of Holland; a small section of the moat remains. The two sites can be distinguished by their surviving traces: foundations mark the site of Huis ter Nieuburch, while part of the moat remains at Huis Te Werve.

Another historical trace can be found in today’s urban landscape by the Oude Kerk: the water pump is a Rijksmonument dating from 1831. For the past few years, it has once again provided fresh drinking water for residents and visitors to Rijswijk. It brings the history of a listed monument together with a practical function in public space.

Back to the main travel overview: Rijswijk.