Doorn is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in the municipality of

Utrechtse Heuvelrug Utrechtse Heuvelrug (; ) is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. It was formed on 1 January 2006 by merging the former municipalities of Amerongen, Doorn, Driebergen-Rijsenburg, Leersum, and Maarn. Na ...

in the central

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

, in the province of

Utrecht Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...

. The town is famous for being the final residence of

Wilhelm II Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 until Abdication of Wilhelm II, his abdication in 1918, which marked the end of the German Empire as well as th ...

History

In a document from 885 to 896 the settlement is called "Thorhem", a dwelling of

Thor Thor (from ) is a prominent list of thunder gods, god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred g ...

, the god of thunder.

Viking Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...

s quartered at

Dorestad Dorestad (''Dorestat, Duristat'') was an early medieval emporium, located in the present-day province of Utrecht in the Netherlands, close to the modern-day town of Wijk bij Duurstede. It flourished during the 8th to early 9th centuries, as a ...

(now

Wijk bij Duurstede Wijk bij Duurstede () is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a city in the central Netherlands. Population centres *Cothen *Langbroek *Wijk bij Duurstede Topography ''Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Wijk bij Du ...

) reportedly referred to the place as Thorhem, as the god of thunder was worshipped there. Archaeological excavations on a moor at the estate of Hoog Moersbergen, north of Doorn, have revealed evidence of a pagan sacrificial site. Later, the settlement of Thorhem became part of the homestead known as Villa Thorhem. Around 1200, this homestead was in the possession of a

provost Provost may refer to: Officials Ecclesiastic * Provost (religion), a high-ranking church official * Prince-provost, a high-ranking church official Government * Provost (civil), an officer of local government, including the equivalent ...

of the

Bishopric of Utrecht The archdiocese, archbishopric, diocese or Bishopric of Utrecht may refer to: * Diocese of Utrecht (695–1580) The historic Diocese of Utrecht was a diocese of the Latin Church (or Western) of the Catholic Church from 695 to 1580, and from 1559 ...

. One of his successors built a castle in the 14th century – now known as

Huis Doorn Huis Doorn (; ) is a manor house and national museum in the town of Doorn in the Netherlands. The residence has early 20th-century interiors from the time when former German Emperor Wilhelm II resided there (1920–1941). Huis Doorn was first b ...

– and established the Maartenskerk ("St. Martin's Church") around 1200. The church was extended in the 15th century and later passed into Protestant hands around 1585, remaining in use as a Protestant church. Another castle, Kasteel Moersbergen, was first mentioned in 1435 and has undergone several alterations since the 17th century. The expansive estate around Huis Doorn left little room for town expansion until 1874, when the estate was parcelled out. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the town experienced significant growth and today it also hosts a major base for the Royal Dutch Marines. Nearby is the Von Gimborn Arboretum, one of the botanical garden sites of

Utrecht University Utrecht University (UU; , formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public university, public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2023, it had an enrollment of ...

. Doorn was an independent municipality until 1 January 2006, after which it became the principal town in the municipality of

. The town also supports its own football club, DEV Doorn.

Notable inhabitants

The last German Emperor,

Wilhelm II of Germany Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 until his abdication in 1918, which marked the end of the German Empire as well as the Hohenzollern dynasty ...

, lived at Huis Doorn in the center of the village after his deposition in 1918. Although he initially regarded his exile as humiliating, he gradually found solace in Doorn’s tranquility and personally oversaw the gardens, remaining active in following political developments until his death in 1941. Dutch novelist

Simon Vestdijk Simon Vestdijk (; 17 October 1898 – 23 March 1971) was a Dutch writer. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature fifteen times. Life Born in the small Frisian town of Harlingen, Vestdijk studied medicine in Amsterdam, but turned t ...

resided in Doorn for much of his life (1939–1971, with brief intervals elsewhere). His works reflect the peaceful yet introspective atmosphere of the village. Dutch writer

Maarten Maartens Maarten Maartens, pen name of ''Jozua Marius Willem van der Poorten Schwartz'' (15 August 1858 in Amsterdam – 3 August 1915 in Doorn), was a Dutch writer, who wrote in English. He was quite well known at the end of the nineteenth and the be ...

had a small castle built in Doorn—Zonheuvel ("Sun Hill," completed in 1903). Today, the castle is known as and forms part of the hotel and conference center Zonheuvel. Image:Wilhelm II Bust @ Doorn.JPG,

Kaiser Wilhelm II Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 until his abdication in 1918, which marked the end of the German Empire as well as the Hohenzollern dynasty ...

lived here for more than twenty years. Image:Mausoleumwhilhelm.JPG, The tomb of Wilhelm II at Huis Doorn File:Doorn Simon Vestdijk beeld. Jaap te Kiefte 2013.jpg, The statue of

in Doorn File:Maarten Maartenshuis - 2.jpg,

' house in Doorn

References

External links

Official website of the municipality of Utrechtse Heuvelrug (in Dutch)

Nederlandse Wikipedia-pagina over Doorn

Soccer club DEV Doorn (in Dutch)
{{Authority control Municipalities of the Netherlands disestablished in 2006 Populated places in Utrecht (province) Former municipalities of Utrecht (province) Utrechtse Heuvelrug