Open Monument Day 2025: Heritage & Architecture, Building(d) to stay (2)
Have you read the previous blog about the history of the Open Monument Days? It is scheduled for the weekend of September 13 and 14, 2025, but not all municipalities (and therefore not all buildings) are open for two days. Some organize one day (usually Saturday), others two days (Saturday and Sunday), and at a number of monuments you will first have to queue outside or make a reservation online in advance. This has to do with the availability of volunteers and the space at the monument. In this blog, you will find a number of tips worth considering. However, there are approximately 5500 monuments, so it is impossible to visit them all in two days.
Theme Heritage & Architecture
'Heritage & Architecture' is the overarching theme for Open Monument Day 2025. The word 'architecture' comes from the Greek word 'arkhitekton', which literally means 'the master of construction'. It refers not only to the physical aspect of building, but also to the arts and sciences involved. Architecture therefore encompasses not only the functional and technical aspects of building (such as structures, materials, and construction techniques), but also the aesthetic, symbolic, and cultural dimensions of the design. It creates space that influences the way we live, work, communicate, and relate to our environment.
Leiden (32 buildings, Saturday and Sunday)
Stadsvilla Ehrenfesthuis (Unique first time open and by reservation only) In 1914, Paul Ehrenfest's wife, Tatiana Afanassjewa, designed this cube-shaped family home in the Russian Neoclassical style, in the spirit of her native city, Saint Petersburg. It is now a national monument. Two years earlier, Ehrenfest had been appointed Professor of Theoretical Physics in Leiden. The plastered cornice facades and the three pediments allude to classical architectural forms. Art Nouveau elements, such as a ceiling light, barely met with Tatiana's approval; she found them not sleek enough. The street side has a closed facade without a pediment; the house faces the garden with a projecting conservatory. The bell in the facade was for suppliers. The central heating pipes are installed horizontally in the Russian style. A chafing dish is incorporated into one of them. On Wednesday evenings, the living room with the blackboard served as a colloquium hall for the Christiaan Huygens Society and various professors. Alcohol, tobacco, and perfume were taboo. In the attic is a guest room, where renowned guests such as physicist Niels Bohr, Einstein, and fifteen Nobel Prize winners left their signatures. Students have lived in the building since at least 1959, as well as a caretaker couple and the parents of one of them. After the death of the remaining caretaker a few years ago, construction company Du Prie bought the house. The two facade stones were placed by Dispuut Huygens. / BtW
Delft (48 buildings, Saturday and Sunday)
TU Classroom The Aula (1966), designed by the architectural firm Van den Broek & Bakema, is the finest example of Brutalist architecture in the Netherlands. The term refers to the visible concrete finishes throughout, best seen in the enormous shell of the auditorium with its polygonal columns. The concrete roof above, however, appears to float on thin strips of windows. Inside, there is a beautiful sense of space created by the central stairwell spanning the full height of the building with staggered floor levels. The building has a nickname: the frog.
More about TU Delft and 'Brutalism' architecture:
https://oostblog.info/2020/05/24/brutalisme-in-nederland-de-aula-van-de-tu-delft/
Hilversum (38 buildings, Saturday and Sunday)
Once again this year, the Dudok Architecture Centre, in collaboration with the Municipality of Hilversum and various cultural partners, has put together an inspiring program surrounding Open Monument Day. On Saturday, September 13 and Sunday, September 14, 2025, some 40 special monuments and hidden spots in Hilversum will be open. Many of these locations are normally not accessible to the public. At a large number of sites, the experience of the monuments is made complete with music, visual arts, and theater, and numerous activities have been organized by the owners of the locations. The national theme 'Heritage & Architecture; built to remain' invites reflection on the role of our heritage in the future. Historic buildings are more than stone structures; they tell stories about our history, identity, and ambitions. They are signposts for tomorrow.
In Garden City Hilversum, the trees, too, carry the stories of the city with them – as living heritage, they bear witness to the past. These stories, of both buildings and trees, receive a surprising interpretation during the evening program 'Speaking Facades' on Saturday, September 13. Four monuments and locations in the center of Hilversum will then form the backdrop for an atmospheric experience featuring light projections, music, theater, and poetry. We cordially invite you to experience this special weekend with us. Look back, look forward – and let yourself be surprised by the buildings, stories, and people that make Hilversum a living monument. Built to last.
Utrecht (93 buildings, Saturday only)
Architecture as a mirror Utrecht has reinvented itself time and again throughout the centuries. The architecture reflects the city's rich history, and every monument forms tangible evidence of a particular zeitgeist. Medieval icons such as the Gothic St. James Church and the imposing Cathedral Church clearly represent a different architectural style than the 19th-century Neo-Gothic St. Willibrord Church and Gertrude Cathedral. But the 20th century has also produced unmistakable icons. Consider the New Objectivity movement, of which Villa Jongerius is a striking example. This monument demonstrates how functionality and aesthetics can reinforce each other, and how architecture responds to societal and technological changes.
Stylish routes
Discover the diverse architectural styles of Utrecht via various style routes. While cycling through Utrecht East, admire gems of the Amsterdam School style, such as the Anatomy Building, or the modern, clean lines of the Rietveld Schröder HousePrefer to go on foot? Follow the Gothic route through the city center or the Neoclassical route past monuments such as the Mint and the City Hall. Everywhere you can see how style and function come together in the cityscape, and how Utrecht continues to renew itself architecturally throughout the centuries.
Old and new icons
A particular highlight this year is the opening of The Inkwell. The largest brick building in the Netherlands can rightly be called a Utrecht icon. This impressive monument, which now serves as the headquarters of PRORAIL, opens its doors especially for Open Monument Day. Curious about the lesser-known monuments? Visit the Musketon in Lunetten or the 'Utrecht' residential complex in Oost.
The Hague (100 buildings, Saturday and Sunday)
In The Hague, 100 monuments are open. Various activities have also been organized around the theme: several walking tours, a bike tour through the city, and an art workshop on the Plaats. In addition, there is a collaboration with the 'Uit je dak' festival and 'Rondje Rechtsstaat' is taking place.
On Saturday, September 13, the Department of Monument Conservation and Urban Planning will be present with information tents on the Plaats (next to the statue of Johan de Witt). The official start is at 10:00 AM.
Sources used: various websites and program booklets of the OMD municipalities.
The time at which your response becomes visible may vary by language and take up to 24 hours.