Voorburg: History Between Gardens and Romans

Voorburg can be explored through several specific themes: its medieval town centre, Roman history, landscaped gardens, and a historic windmill. This gives you a range of options when planning your trip. If you are looking for a hotel in Voorburg, you can start by deciding whether cultural history, parkland, or a route should shape your stay.

Historic Town Centre and Hofwijck

Voorburg’s historic centre was founded in the Middle Ages on the strandwall. The term refers to a raised sand ridge running parallel to the coastline. This provides a brief explanation of the distinctive landform on which the town centre developed.

The Hofwijck country estate was designed around 1640 by Constantijn Huygens together with the architect Jacob van Campen. Its garden is shaped like a human body; this design is considered a unique feature of Dutch garden art. Hofwijck thus brings together a clearly established period of origin and an unusual garden design.

The Notarishuis is on Herenstraat and is one of the oldest buildings in Voorburg’s Huygenskwartier. It presents the Roman history of Forum Hadriani. The building also houses a VVV tourist information office, which offers maps, town walks, and cycling tours. These services offer different ways to explore Voorburg, from getting your bearings with a map to taking a town walk or a cycling tour.

Gardens, Roman Traces, and a Windmill

Arentsburgh-Hoekenburg Park was created in 1924, when two separate country estates were combined to form a landscaped garden. Winding paths, ponds, lawns, and specimen trees are among the features of the grounds. The park is open to the public free of charge.

The remains of Roman roads, houses, a bathhouse, and a city wall can be found in Arentsburgh Park. These finds range from roads and residential buildings to public structures, providing several specific points of connection with Voorburg’s Roman history.

De Vlieger Windmill was built in 1621, is fully operational, and is now set up as a museum. On a guided tour, visitors can learn how the windmill works, how the miller lived, and what characterises the polder landscape. The focus here is on both the windmill’s technology and life in the polder landscape.

Routes and Visiting Hours

The Landgoedwandelen route starts at Voorburg NS railway station; the route information board is also located there. The Beeldenroute Voorburg starts at Stationsplein or Huygenstraverse and ends in Waterspoorpark, alongside the Den Haag–Leiden railway line. The cycling route along the castles can be ridden year-round and runs from Voorburg via Leidschendam and Rijswijk to The Hague. The routes’ different start and end points, along with the designated cycling route, provide practical points of reference.

Oude Kerk Voorburg can be visited Monday to Friday from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. On Open Monument Day, visitors can climb the tower between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. If you are planning to climb the tower, check the date of Open Monument Day in advance.

Discover more destinations: Leidschendam.

Go to the main travel overview: Leidschendam-Voorburg.