The best dog-friendly hikes and walks around Slingeplas

HISTORY OF THE VESTING PARK The Fortress Park is a listed historical park located on the former fortifications and bastions "Treurniet" (= do not mourn) and "Vreesniet" (= do not be afraid) in the northwest of the city. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the ramparts and almost all of the bastions were demolished, and most of the canals were filled in. (Source: Information panel at the park entrance) Bernard Andreas Roelvink was the administrator of Governor William V. His residence was expanded in 1764 into the administrator's house, the present-day St. Bernardus Church. The remains of two bastions (Treurniet and Vreesniet) and the land between them were granted to the Roelvink family on a hereditary lease in 1782. Around 1850, he had an English garden with a teahouse laid out for himself at "Vreesniet." The Roelvink family used to drink their tea there. (Source: Information panel at the teahouse) Following the arrival of the French in 1795, administrative changes took place. The Bredevoort estate was divided. St. Bernardus House was built on the grounds of the outer bailey of Bredevoort Castle. It was commissioned by Jan Satink, a lieutenant colonel in the National Regiment of the Dutch Army. (Source: Hotel de Heerlyckheid website) Around 1900, when tuberculosis (TB) became the number one public health problem, Father Bernardus Mulder purchased the steward's house (dating from 1764) and its garden in 1897 to establish a hospital. Under the direction of the Franciscan Sisters of Thuine, the "Roman Catholic Sanatorium St. Bernardus Foundation" was founded in 1902. The former English Garden was used as a health resort for TB patients. Several sunbathing pavilions (of which only two white carriage houses remain today) were erected along the city moat (Grote Gracht). Around 1900, an orchard was planted in the monastery garden, approximately at the level of the Treurniet Bastion, and in 1912 the nuns had the Lourdes Grotto built in the English Garden. (Source: Information panel in Vestingpark) From 1933, the former administrator's house and its park were used as a retirement home. In 1938, the Sisters of Thuine were replaced by the Sisters of St. Joseph from Amersfoort. In 1985, the Sisters of St. Joseph had to leave Bredevoort permanently. St. Bernardus House was renovated and expanded in 1988 by the St. Bernardus Nursing Home Foundation, which also used the building as a retirement home. In 2008, the nursing home moved to a new location.

B.A. Roelvink had this beautiful teahouse built for himself and his family in 1862. It's charmingly furnished, just as a 19th-century teahouse would have been. One can easily imagine the Roelvink family arriving at any moment to enjoy their afternoon tea. It's locked, but the interior is clearly visible through the glass panes. Simply beautiful and an idyllic spot. ... BACKGROUND 1764: Bernard Andreas Roelvink was the administrator of Governor William V. His residence was expanded into the administrator's house in 1764 (the present-day Boutique Hotel & Brasserie "DE HEERLYCKHEID"). 1782: The remains of two bastions (Vreesniet and Treurniet) and the land between them (the present-day fortress park and orchard) were leased to the Roelvink family in 1782. Around 1850: B.A. Roelvink had an English garden laid out on the grounds for himself and his family, a style that was very fashionable at the time. 1862: The teahouse was built on the former Vreesniet bastion and is now picturesquely situated on a slight rise in the fortress park, which is bordered to the northwest by the Grote Gracht (former moat). (Source: Information signs at the teahouse and in the fortress park)

B.A. Roelvink had this beautiful teahouse built for himself and his family in 1862. It's charmingly furnished, just as a 19th-century teahouse would have been. One can easily imagine the Roelvink family arriving at any moment to enjoy their afternoon tea. It's locked, but the interior is clearly visible through the glass panes. Simply beautiful and an idyllic spot. ... BACKGROUND 1764: Bernard Andreas Roelvink was the administrator of Governor William V. His residence was expanded into the administrator's house in 1764 (the present-day Boutique Hotel & Brasserie "DE HEERLYCKHEID"). 1782: The remains of two bastions (Vreesniet and Treurniet) and the land between them (the present-day fortress park and orchard) were leased to the Roelvink family in 1782. Around 1850: B.A. Roelvink had an English garden laid out on the grounds for himself and his family, a style that was very fashionable at the time. 1862: The teahouse was built on the former Vreesniet bastion and is now picturesquely situated on a slight rise in the fortress park, which is bordered to the northwest by the Grote Gracht (former moat). (Source: Information signs at the teahouse and in the fortress park)

A picturesque park with paths, a bridge, old trees, a teahouse, a grotto, and a tree trail. The renovated white pavilions offer a comfortable place to sit and relax. In 2015/16, the garden underwent extensive renovations, including the removal of diseased trees and the planting of new saplings. A suspended concrete walkway, over two meters wide, was constructed through the park, with its concrete elements protruding approximately 25 cm above the ground. (Note: When I visited in winter, the walkway was unusable due to icy conditions and the risk of slipping!)

The "Koppelkerk" (Pendulum Church) was built in 1947 and is located at Koppelstraße 35 in Bredevoort. It stood empty for a long time until Silvia Hein conceived the idea in 2014 of creating a large open space for artists, culture, and community contributions. In 2015, the now deconsecrated church became a beacon*) for art and culture. Since then, it has hosted rotating exhibitions, concerts, and lectures, becoming a meeting place for art and culture. The Koppelkerk is primarily dedicated to art. During the day, it serves as a center for visual arts with changing exhibitions, and in the evenings, it transforms into a venue for music, theater, and lectures. Regional and German artists exhibit their work in the hall on the upper floor. Thus, it unites all art forms under one roof. It can also be used as a pop-up gallery. Currently, 70 volunteers dedicate their time to ensuring that this unique space can flourish. They are involved wholeheartedly, because not only the sense of community and togetherness counts, but also the opportunity to contribute their own ideas and visions. The concept is not a fixed product, but rather malleable and adaptable. (freely adapted from: YouTube > 10th anniversary koppelkerk) Opening hours: Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. *) The church steeple is reminiscent of a beacon/lighthouse. The book café, located in the former sacristy/parish hall, perfectly complements this cultural project.

Here, at the site of the HL (presumably a memorial or monument), on the southwest edge of the market square, stands the statue of Hendrickje Stoffels on a brick pedestal. Hendrickje was born in 1626 in Ramsdorf, Germany (others say Bredevoort, Netherlands, though this is uncertain), the daughter of Stoffel Stoffelse, also called Jegers/Jaegher (d. 1646), and Mechteld Lamberts (d. c. 1661), into a family of soldiers. The couple had five more children and moved to Bredevoort, to Muizenstraat, where her father's garrison was stationed. In 1646, lightning struck the powder tower of the castle, causing an explosion that claimed many lives, presumably including Hendrickje's father. A year later, her mother wanted to marry the neighbor, which displeased Hendrickje. She went to Amsterdam to start a new life. ... She became Rembrandt's housekeeper in 1646 on Sint-Anthonisbreestraat (now Jodenbreestraat), his partner in 1649, and the mother of their daughter Cornelia in 1654. Hendrickje died in 1663 (possibly of the plague) and was buried in the Westerkerk in Amsterdam. A year later, Rembrandt referred to her in a document as his "Blessed Wife." This suggests that he considered her his de facto wife, even though they were not officially married. H. posed for the painter (as did his wife Saskia and lover Geertje) for numerous works: "Portrait of Hendrikje Stoffels, Munich, Alte Pinakothek/ Hendrickje Stoffels in Bed, Edinburgh, National Gallery of Scotland/ Young Girl at the Window, 1651, Stockholm, National Museum/ Hendrickje Bathing in the River, 1654, London, National Gallery/ Young Woman with Earrings, 1654, St. Petersburg, Hermitage, etc." (Source: wikipedia.org)

Hendrickje & Rembrandt REMBRANDT (1606-1669) moved to Amsterdam in 1631, where he lived with the art dealer Hendrick Uylenburgh on Sint Antoniesbreestraat and directed his "academie." After becoming a citizen of Amsterdam and a member of the Guild of Saint Luke in 1634, he married the aforementioned art dealer's daughter, Saskia van Uylenburgh (born 1612). The couple had four children (Rombertus, died 1635; Cornelia, died 1638; Cornelia, died 1640; and Titus, born September 22, 1641, died 1668), but only their son Titus reached adulthood. Rembrandt acquired the house, now the Rembrandt House Museum on Sint Antoniesbreestraat, on January 5, 1639. Saskia died in June 1642. Rembrandt was granted the usufruct of her estate as long as he did not remarry. Geertje Dircx, initially Titus's nanny, became Rembrandt's mistress in 1642. From 1646, Hendrickje Stoffels came to Amsterdam and initially worked as a maid. In 1647, she became Titus's nanny, and finally, from 1649, Rembrandt's mistress. The relationship with Geertje ended acrimoniously. She sued the painter for breach of his promise of marriage, and the court ordered him to pay 200 guilders annually. In 1650, at Rembrandt's instigation, Geertje was sent to the Spinhuis (a women's prison) in Gouda. From 1653, the painter's financial situation deteriorated dramatically: he had to borrow the remaining 8,470 guilders on the house he had purchased in 1639. ... On June 25, 1654, the Reformed Church excommunicated Hendrickje Stoffels from receiving Holy Communion for "fornication with the painter Rembrandt," as she was pregnant with his child. Their daughter Cornelia (born 1654, died 1684) was born in 1654. To pay off his debts, Rembrandt auctioned off his collection in 1655/56. In 1656, he was granted honorable bankruptcy. In 1657, Titus named his sister as his heir. In 1658, the house was auctioned off. In 1660, Hendrickje and Titus jointly founded an art dealership, which protected Rembrandt from his creditors. He was the only employee. In 1661, Hendrickje named her daughter as her sole heir in her will. She died in 1663, presumably of the plague. She was buried in a rented grave in Amsterdam's Westerkerk. (Source: www.artinwords.de)

Hendrickje Stoffels was born in Bredevoort in 1626, the daughter of Sergeant Stoffel Stoffelse. After her father's death in 1646, she moved to Amsterdam. There, she initially worked as a maid for the painter Rembrandt van Rijn. She had a daughter with him named Cornelia. Hendrickje modeled for Rembrandt in several of his paintings. She died in 1663, presumably from the plague epidemic that ravaged Amsterdam. (Source: Information panel at the statue in the market square) A sign unveiled in 2006 marks the historical site where Hendrickje lived in Bredevoort. The building itself is privately owned and not open to the public. The Bredevoort Tourist Information Office (VVV) offers guided tours with Hendrickje as the guide. During these tours, she appears as Rembrandt's muse and shares secrets and stories from her life. (Source: Achterhoek and The Other Holland)