Autumn is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the beautiful nature.
Merwestein city park
'Tis the season of finding chestnuts, acorns and mushrooms. Of kicking leaves in the woods and stomping puddles. As a result of the tightened corona rules, we sit at home even more and it's all the nicer to refuel outside in the fresh air. So get outside and enjoy the exuberant scents and colors of autumn!
In Dordrecht we have over twenty parks, natural areas and estates. Enough places where you can experience nature. Near the center, you will find park Merwestein. Here are some facts, facts and beautiful images of this cozy city park.
Facts & trivia
Did you know that Park Merwestein is the oldest park in Dordrecht? The park originated from an old estate called Merwestein. It was bought by a Dordrecht committee that turned it into a public city park. In 1884, the municipality of Dordrecht became the owner of the estate. Several mayors lived in the villa on the estate.
During World War II, the German Wehrmacht occupied the villa. During a bombing raid, much of Park Merwestein was lost, including the villa with Coach House and many trees. On the spot where the villa used to stand now stands the memorial monument the Tree of Life. Hans Petri created this artwork as a reminder of people's strength to overcome war memories. In the north of the park is a winding path of wood chips along trees and shrubs. Otto van der Linden created a natural garden on that spot next to his villa in 1885. This rugged green space is called the Forest of Staring and is freely accessible today.
What is there to do?
There is a nice landscaped walking path so you can take a leisurely stroll around to enjoy the park. There are benches everywhere to take a break. You can bring your dog on a leash (there are free dog poop bags at the entrances). There is a nice playground with climbing tower, swings, slide, seesaw and sandbox. But there are also plenty of places to explore nature, climb on branches and watch animals. In the animal pasture there is a group of fallow deer that are fed by the employees of the municipality. You are not allowed to feed them yourself because they can get sick.
You can also see in the park various species of ducks, swans and geese that you are allowed to feed. And there is an aviary with zebra finches. Because Park Merwestein is so old there are also many old trees. Stichting Park Merwestein has set out a tree route using numbers on tiles. This allows you to see what kind of tree it is and its age. This route is available via Stichting Park Merwestein, at VVV Dordrecht and on the website.
