Monumentenbezit has been around for 10 years!

Hurray, Monumentenbezit has existed for 10 years! In 2014 we were founded with one goal: to preserve historically valuable buildings. We do this by acquiring them, restoring them, renting them out and possibly providing a new impulse through repurposing them.

In 2016, the government sold 29 monuments that were transferred to us via the National Monuments Organisation. That was the real starting signal for our work as a heritage organisation. From repurposing to research, and from sustainability to realising a visitors centre. We share a selection of all the special moments of the past ten years.

Over the years, Monument Ownership has grown from a small foundation to a national household name. Mark van den Bos, executive director: "We started with just a laptop and a telephone. And if you now see where we are as an organization, I am extremely proud of that. What I like to see is that the importance of the monument has always been the basis for us. We are and will continue to be a safety net for monuments, even when they are difficult to exploit."

Although Monument Ownership began as a safety net purely for the built part, we are increasingly being asked if we can also support opening up a monument. So our expertise is broadening and our team is growing so we can be supportive to others. But we never do a successful operation alone! For us, that always means collaborating with local parties. Mark: "We started a pilot phase this year, looking with a number of monuments at how we can better join forces and make the monument more future-proof. It involves exploiting the monuments ourselves: Castle Radboud, the Ruins of Nuwendoorn, Castle Slangenburg and Buitenplaats Trompenburgh."

Monument Property also continues to develop in other areas. We have had POM status since 2022 and we have been affiliated with an international heritage organization (INTO) since 2023. "We like to share our knowledge with parties in the sector. Especially considering there are many more great projects in the pipeline. Such as the repurposing, restoration and drafting of the Gothic House and Buitenplaats Trompenburgh - just to name a few. With the opening of Trompenburgh and the growth of our organization, a new office is needed. So we will spend the next ten years in a new place. A great prospect, I'm looking forward to it!"

Win promotion

Are you also celebrating our anniversary? Send us your best photo of one of our monuments, taken in the past 10 years. We will collect all entries and choose the best photo.

How to participate? And what to win?

• Submit your photo before September 1st via communicatie@monumentenbezit.nl – and mention in your email which monument you would like to visit;
• Our colleagues Rose, Agnes, Merle and Emma will then choose a winner together;
• The winner will be given a guided tour in the autumn, possibly with an additional guest, at a Monumentenbezit monument of their choice!

We will be sharing some beautiful images that are submitted in the coming months, with your submission you give permission to share the image via our social media.