Zonnestraal Estate

Walking route on Landgoed Zonnestraal Hilversum

Around 1900, one in three people died of tuberculosis (TB). It was therefore enemy number one. Whoever got TB was given up, he was immediately fired because of fear of spreading to the rest of the employees. At home, the sick person then spread the disease to family and often also to local residents. Among diamond workers in Amsterdam, TB was also a major threat at that time.
From the Koperen Stelenfonds, a fund linked to an Amsterdam diamond factory, the Zonnestraal estate is eventually purchased. Jan Duiker was commissioned to build a sanatorium there, which was completed in 1928. The sanatorium with all its large and smaller buildings still exists and is a wonderful example of the Nieuwe Bouwen in the Netherlands. Zonnestraal has even been nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage List.
This walk takes you over the equally beautiful and unique estate. The walk is marked with light blue poles and is 4.5 km. long. Address: Loosdrechtse Bos 17, Hilversum.
The walk starts at the clock at the parking lot of Zonnestraal at the end of the Bosweg on the estate. The clock is a gift from the staff in honor of the 50th anniversary in 1978.
A guide has been published with the walk. This guide is for sale for five euros at the Brasserie DEZ in the Ter Meulen Pavilion located on Zonnestraal. Be sure to enjoy this on the terrace or inside after it, when your walk is over!

More information about landgoed Zonnestraal can be found on www.zonnestraal.nl .

For all routes in the beautiful Gooi & Vecht region and further tourist information, go to the official tourist office site of the region: www.visitgooivecht.nl