Family bench

In front of the folly -see also yesterday's post- was a two-storey bench..

Folly by Lambert Kamps

The Fraeylemaborg estate is also the location of the project "New Follies on Fraeylema and Slochteren heritage". This one called "Façade" makes you think of a mini castle, like a decor of a fairytale maybe. At the back is a container that is used as an exhibition space, which was closed however when we were there. The folly was created by Lambert Kamps (1974), a Dutch artist and designer based in Groningen.

The folly was in fact made from parts of the demolished church tower of Zuidhorn. The tower was vertically cut in 2 parts and then folded open. In that way it now creates a façade in front of the container. If you are interested click HERE to Kamps' site, when you scroll down a bit there are photos showing the original church and the creating process of the folly.

Borg reflection

The Fraeylemaborg in Slochteren seen from the back. It's my contribute to this week's Weekend Reflections.

Happy weekend and a merry Christmas!

Blue skies

This photo was taken more or less from the same spot as yesterday's photo, I just turned 90° :)
Wide farmlands like these are a common view in the province of Groningen. The lined trees on the left guide the road in the direction of the village of Noordbroek.
With the many grey days we are having lately, last Sunday was one of the rare days with a clear sky and sun! One to enjoy :)  I'm linking to Skywatch Friday.

Fraeylemaborg estate

The Fraeylemaborg estate is an area of about 20 hectares. At the end of the 18th century it was restructured into a romantic park in English style, with winding paths and ponds. Nowadays it is a close forest with walking paths. One central view from the borg until the end of the estate remained though. This photo was taken from that point at the edge of the estate, maybe a bit difficult to see but the white in the middle is the borg.

Fraeylemaborg

The bridge that crosses the moat and leads to the Fraeylemaborg was nicely decorated for Christmas. During the Middle Ages, these borgen (manors, castles) in this region of the Netherlands were the only buildings -next to churches- that used durable stone and masonry, and they became centers of power and wealth.

The name 'Fraeylema' was mentioned in the archives of 1504; the building originates from the 16th century and has had several owners since then. At the end of the 18th century it was rebuilt in the shape it has today. Since the 1970s the Fraeylemaborg is a historic house museum.

Ice skating rink

The Christmas Fair included a small ice skating rink.

Kids enjoyed themselves on the ice while their parents sat for something to drink or eat.
Once more the Fraeylemaborg in the background.

Fraeylemaborg Christmas Fair

This weekend a Christmas Fair was held on the grounds of the Fraeylemaborg in Slochteren. A "borg" (or castle) is a former stronghold or villa in the province of Groningen, they used to belong to noblemen or prominent citizens. You can see the Fraeylemaborg in the background, I will show you more in the coming week.

With blue skies and about 4°C (39°F) today it was great weather for an outdoor fair.

Inside the Fraeylemaborg

Following up on yesterdays post I'd like to show you 2 more photos that I took inside the Fraeylemaborg. The last private owners and residents were the family Thomassen à Thuessink van der Hoop, who lived here until 1972 when they sold the borg to the foundation that I mentioned yesterday.

It was great to see the original floor tiles and furniture in all the rooms. How about the 2 benches here in this hallway..

Fraeylemaborg

Yesterday afternoon we visited the Fraeylemaborg in the town of Slochteren in the province of Groningen. The Dutch word borg means a former stronghold or villa. The Fraeylemaborg dates from the 16th century and was rebuilt several times in the ages that followed. It is currently a museum, owned by the Gerrit van Houten Foundation. Nice fact is that the villa and estate are also a wedding-location.