Slot Zuylen
Lunch breaks in meeting room
Buckets. Cloths. Rainwater pouring in. There was an urgent need to restore several parts of Slot Zuylen. Quite a challenge. The castle is, after all, surrounded by water on three sides. That’s how a lot of the long-overdue maintenance could remain concealed. ‘You don’t simply erect a scaffold to survey things every year.’
Director Willem te Slaa isn’t kept up at night by the restoration, but it does pose a logistical challenge. They must tackle as much as possible in one go, because just the installation of scaffolding alone is already costly: €1,600 per week for each facade. The supply and disposal of materials is another job. ‘Normally, the contractor brings a gigantic truck to the door. That is impossible here. The natural landscape surrounding the castle is delicate, the paving is old, and all the materials must pass through a narrow 16th-century gate.’
The restoration has been in preparation for two years. Nevertheless, there are still many more creative solutions required throughout the process. An issue like wood rot can be concealed beneath almost anything you tackle, says Te Slaa. To prevent budget overruns, all sorts of solutions were devised. ‘The canteen for the builders, the Dixis, the materials storage – we have eliminated as many of these cost elements as possible by thinking up alternative solutions. For example, breaks now take place in our meeting room.’
Centuries’ worth of nails
While the work is in progress, the museum will remain open to the public as usual. ‘That revenue is much needed, so we took advantage of the situation. We have arranged an exhibition on the history of the castle’s construction. Then, a scaffolding here or there is instantly less disruptive.’
Slot Zuylen is one of the oldest castles on the river Vecht, located just outside Utrecht. Built in the 13th century, it underwent many subsequent extensions. Te Slaa: ‘Unlike many other castles, Slot Zuylen has never been demolished or rebuilt at any point. In fact, it is a unique document to some 800 years of construction and renovating. Its interior also has a history to tell. The castle has been lived in over the various centuries. As a result, it is not styled according to a particular era. Some new pieces of furniture were always being introduced, while others disappeared.’
Continuity
Dioraphte takes a long-term view whenever necessary. We are aware that such initiatives require time. We can see this for example in the preservation of cultural heritage, which often involves years of work in restoration and conservation. Investing in this as a private fund demonstrates how important this is. And that working together will help preserve our heritage. After all, what is lost never returns.
Traces of the past
The restoration reveals a lot about the building and management history. ‘For example, the window frames are still 18th-century wood. We found the windows to be numbered with Roman numerals. And suddenly, we find a hatch containing a void behind it. All traces of the past.’ But even the recent past is revealed. For instance, pointing that was done in the 1980s requires replacement. The seams have become so hardened that it has forced the old stone apart. Similarly, modern hardwood was also used during past restorations as it would last longer. People had very different ideas about listed buildings in the past. That too forms part of the history of Slot Zuylen. These days, we allow ourselves to be influenced by what has sustained the castle for centuries.’
Recently, someone asked Te Slaa when he would consider the restoration a success. He replies jokingly: ‘I compare it to coming home after a haircut. Then, you’d rather not hear: did you visit the hairdresser? But: how well your hair looks! That’s the difference. If we can accomplish that, we have really done well.’