The Fraeylemaborg (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈfraːiləmaːˌbɔr(ə)x]) is a borg in the village of Slochteren in the Netherlands. At present the Fraeylemaborg is a historic house museum. The museum had 31,509 visitors in 2013.

Fraeylemaborg
A U-shaped building with a tower surrounded by a moat and with a drawbridge in the front
The Fraeylemaborg in 2013
Fraeylemaborg is located in Groningen (province)
Fraeylemaborg
Location of the museum in the province of Groningen
LocationHoofdweg 30[1]
Slochteren, Netherlands
Coordinates53°12′55″N 6°48′35″E / 53.2154°N 6.8096°E / 53.2154; 6.8096
TypeHistoric house museum
Visitors31,509 (2014)[2]
DirectorMarjon Edzes-Posthumus[3]
CuratorHenny van Harten-Boers[3]
Websitewww.fraeylemaborg.nl

Building history

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Fraeylemaborg is the most important of the borgen in the province of Groningen. These strong houses or keeps were built in the Middle Ages to store harvests and to protect their produce from robbers. Besides churches, these structures were the only buildings that used durable stone and masonry. In due time they grew to become centres of power and wealth. The Fraeylemaborg is located in the middle of the town of Slochteren which upon its discovery in 1959 gave its name to the largest gasfield in the world.

In 1475 there was already a farm with the name Frealemaheerd. In the archives of 1504 the name is found of one Remmer Fraeylema. The building originates from the 16th century. The left wing was built in the 17th century. In 1680 the borg was sold by Evert Rengers, son of the former lord of the manor, because of his family debts. It was bought by Henric Piccardt (married to Anna Elizabeth Rengers, Evert's sister), who borrowed the necessary funds from Stadtholder William III. Piccardt extensively rebuilt the borg and he also landscaped a huge formal garden in the style of Louis XIV's France. After Piccardt's death the borg fell into disrepair. In 1781 the Fraeylemaborg was sold to Hendrik de Sandra Veldman. He rebuilt it into the shape it has today. Among his innovations was the removal of two towers which had graced the front square.

Garden

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Administration

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Year Visitors   Year Visitors
2005 21,500[4] 2010 28,264[5]
2006 31,322[4] 2011 26,245[5]
2007 27,528[4] 2012 33,191[5]
2008 27,305[4] 2013 29,106[6]
2009 26,862[4] 2014 31,509[2]

Marjon Edzes-Posthumus is the museum director and Henny van Harten-Boers is the curator of the Fraeylemaborg.[3]

In the period 2006–2014, the museum had between 26,245 and 33,191 visitors per year.[4][5][6][2] The museum had 31,509 visitors in 2014.[2] It is one of the most-visited museums in the province of Groningen.[4][5]

The Fraeylemaborg is a member of Museumhuis Groningen (Groningen Museum House),[7] which is an umbrella organization for museums and heritage institutions in the province of Groningen.[8]

References

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  1. ^ Info, Fraeylemaborg. Retrieved on 2013-12-09.
  2. ^ a b c d (in Dutch) Jaarverslag 2014, Stichting Landgoed Fraeylemaborg. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  3. ^ a b c (in Dutch) Informatie, Fraeylemaborg. Retrieved on 2013-12-09.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g (in Dutch) Bezoekcijfers leden Federatie van musea in de provincie Groningen, Museumhuis Groningen. Retrieved on 23 June 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d e (in Dutch) Bezoekcijfers musea aangesloten bij Museumhuis Groningen, Museumhuis Groningen. Retrieved on 23 June 2014.
  6. ^ a b (in Dutch) Bezoekcijfers Erfgoedinstellingen Groningen Archived 2014-03-18 at the Wayback Machine, Museumhuis Groningen, 2014. Retrieved on 18 March 2014.
  7. ^ (in Dutch) Leden Museumhuis Archived 2014-01-11 at the Wayback Machine, Museum Groningen. Retrieved on 23 June 2014.
  8. ^ (in Dutch) Over ons Archived 2014-01-11 at the Wayback Machine Museumhuis Groningen. Retrieved on 23 June 2014.
  • (in Dutch) Kalkwiek, K.A., A.I.J.M. Schellart, H.P.H. Jansen & P.W. Geudeke, Atlas van de Nederlandse kastelen, Alphen aan den Rijn 1980 (ISBN 90 218 2477 9)
  • (in Dutch) Helsdingen, H.W. van, Gids voor de Nederlandse kastelen en buitenplaatsen, Amsterdam 1966
  • (in Dutch) Tromp, H.M.J., Kijk op kastelen Amsterdam 1979 (ISBN 90 10 02446 6)
  • (in Dutch) Battjes, Jan, & Ladrak, Hans, De toren uit het midden. Bouwhistorie en ontwerpmethodiek van de Fraeylemaborg en het Slochterbos, Groningen: Monnier 2010 (ISBN 978 94 90769 017)
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