Colonies of Weldadigheid

Trial colony Frederiksoord - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Frederiksoord lies at the heart of the beautiful landscape of South-West Drenthe. It is the very place where a daring social experiment began in 1818. It was here that General Johannes van den Bosch founded the first Colony of Benevolence. In this unique part of Drenthe, poor families were given the chance to build a new life.

Now, more than 200 years later, much of this unique chapter in Dutch history can still be seen. Visit the numerous monuments, take a walk past the colony houses and discover the characteristic landscape. Culture, nature and history come together here. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021.

Highlights Colonies of Weldadigheid - Don't miss this

  • Museum de Proefkolonie - Frederiksoord

    Visit Museum the Trial Colony and follow in the footsteps of the very first settlers. You will discover their stories through a multimedia tour, fun for young and old alike!

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    Museum de Proefkolonie - Frederiksoord

  • Colony cottage - Frederiksoord

    Welcome to the distinctive Colony House of the Society of Weldadigheid. A total of 430 colony houses stood in this area. This Colony House in Frederiksoord can be visited together with the Colony School and is part of the Outdoor Museum of the Colonies of Weldadigheid.

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    Colony cottage - Frederiksoord

  • Colony school - Frederiksoord

    Frederiksoord's first Colony School was part of the central buildings, which stood at the heart of the pilot colony, next to the soup kitchen. This Colony Schoolhouse can be visited together with the Colony House and is part of the outdoor museum of the Colonies of Weldadigheid.

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    Colony school - Frederiksoord

  • Outdoor exhibition Wilhelminaoord

    Here you will find out all about the special history of the village in Drenthe. Anyone visiting Wilhelminaoord will still feel and see much of the ideas of Johannes van den Bosch and 'his' Society of Weldadigheid.

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    Outdoor exhibition Wilhelminaoord

  • De Tramloods - Frederiksoord

    The historic tram shed is an annex to Museum De Proefkolonie. Here you can experience the permanent exhibition Return Society | Mobility in the Colonies of Weldadigheid. Immerse yourself in the unique logistical problems of this special UNESCO World Heritage area.

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    De Tramloods - Frederiksoord

UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 2021, UNESCO recognised the cultural landscapes of Frederiksoord-Wilhelminaoord and Veenhuizen in the Netherlands and Wortel-Kolonie in Flanders as being of exceptional and universal significance to all of humanity. This meant that four of the seven original Colonies of Benevolence were added to the prestigious World Heritage List. UNESCO cited two reasons for this:

The landscape has been designed and laid out in such a way as to encourage residents to behave in a rational and productive manner. The straight lines of the roads and avenues, and the rhythm and regularity of the buildings, are intended to encourage residents to think logically and work efficiently.

The social experiment aimed to develop poor people and poor land. A utopian idea based on the ideas of the 18th-century Enlightenment was put into practice. The ‘uplifting’ of residents through work, education and moral development was central to this.

The most beautiful cycling routes - Discover the Colonies of Weldadigheid by bicycle

Take a look

Watch the video for a good mood impression of the Colonies of Weldadigheid in south-west Drenthe.

Video Colonies of Weldadigheid
  • Video Colonies of Weldadigheid

Walk along history - route tips

What you mustn’t miss

Discover and experience the unique story

Numerous monuments

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