ABOUT Villa Linnaeus

A rich history in green De Bilt

 

Villa Linnaeus was built in 1890 as the director's residence of the firm Groenewegen en Zoon, a leading tree nursery and landscape architecture firm based in De Bilt at that time, the organization had an area of approximately 36 hectares, on which numerous tree species and landscapes were developed.

Architecture & building style

The villa is designed in the chalet style with richly detailed neo-Gothic elements, such as pointed arch windows, trefoils, decorative brickwork and decorative facade ornamentsTypical of the style are also the projecting tower section and the graceful roof slopes with natural stone consoles and cornices.

Cultural-historical value

The house was originally named "Linnaeus" – after Carl Linnaeus, the famous Swedish botanist – reflecting its connection to the nursery's plant trade and cultivation. The construction of the Utrechtseweg in 1937 physically separated the villa from the company grounds and later became known as "De Wende."  Later, the historical name Linnaeus again took precedence over the traditional name.

Monument status

Villa Linnaeus is designated a national monument (ID 514671) for its combination of cultural-historical and architectural significance. The villa is representative of a director's residence in a neo-Gothic chalet style and is an example of late 19th-century residential architecture in villa parks such as De Holle Bilt.