Zonnestraal Estate
Discover the distinctive shade of Duikerblauw (Duiker's blue), experience the restorative power of woodland and heathland, and enjoy a picnic in the romantic vineyard. Designed by architect Jan Duiker, the historic sanatorium is a listed national monument and an icon of Dutch modernist architecture.
Zonnestraal in Hilversum opened in 1928 as a rehabilitation and aftercare centre for diamond workers suffering from tuberculosis. Today, the complex is celebrated as a landmark of the Dutch modernist movement known as Nieuwe Bouwen. It sits within a varied landscape of woodland and heathland, where sandy soils meet peatlands.
Modernist architects Jan Duiker and Bernard Bijvoet, with the assistance of Jan Gerko Wiebenga, brought their vision to life using the most innovative ideas of their time in architecture, construction technology and healthcare. A celebration of light and air, and a powerful symbol of solidarity and hope, Zonnestraal is an architectural masterpiece of international significance.
