Tobacco Cure

The Tobacco Barn Information Centre provides information about tobacco cultivation and land use in this area.

In the seventeenth century, the warm southern slope of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug proved to be extremely suitable for the cultivation of tobacco. In the vicinity of Amerongen, a flourishing tobacco cultivation arose.

All tobacco farms in this area are built in the same way. Sturdy wooden uprights with a cross-connection together form the 'truss'. The number of trusses determined the length of the barn, Get was sometimes as long as 30 meters. The barns have French doors and ventilation flaps in the side walls, front and rear façade.

The tobacco leaves were picked in July and August. The tobacconist strung the leaves on a stick and hung them up in the barn to dry. When it was raining, small fires were lit. As soon as the tobacco was dry, the tobacconist tied the leaves into bunches and pressed them into bales.

Tabaksschuur Information Centre, Veensseweg 8, Amerongen. The centre also offers coffee and tea. Open: Wed, Sat and Sun from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

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