House Doorn, Gatehouse

House Doorn is on the brink of significant changes, which fits perfectly with the theme of the national Open Monuments Day 2025 ‘Heritage and Architecture’, ‘Building(d) to Last’.

In 838, ‘Villa Thorhem’ (House Doorn) is already mentioned. Later, this ‘Hof Doorn’ was owned by the Domproost, the caretaker of the Bishops of Utrecht. In the following centuries, House Doorn was drastically remodeled multiple times into the shape it has today. The last structure, the Gate Building, was commissioned by ex-emperor Wilhelm II in 1921 and built in a neo-style, inspired by the Dutch Renaissance style. It was designed by the Amersfoort architect H.A. Pothoven. It replaces the gardener's house ‘Vendetta’, after a new main access to the estate of House Doorn was constructed on Langbroekerweg in 1920.

The one-time exhibition about the architectural history of House Doorn will be on display during Open Monuments Day in the Gate Building and in the Chapel. Continuous films about the history will be shown here, along with images of the different construction phases that have taken place over the centuries.

The not freely accessible permanent exhibition ‘The Netherlands and World War I’ will be completely transformed into a new exhibition. In relation to the Interwar period, the time between the two World Wars, a connection will be sought with the mission and vision of the museum. This exhibition will be housed in the former Services Building, which accommodated the permanent staff of ex-emperor Wilhelm II. The current Pavilion (garage and glass greenhouse), where the exhibition about ‘The Netherlands and World War I’ is located, will be remodeled into an educational and reception building for, among others, (school) groups with an educational purpose.

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