The History of Julianatoren Children's Amusement Park

On April 15, 1910, the cornerstone of the Princess Juliana Tower was laid. The name of the observation tower was quickly chosen thanks to the birth of Princess Juliana nearly a year earlier.

The observation tower stood 24 meters tall, and from the top you had a magnificent view of the forests and heathlands of the Veluwe. Partly because of this stunning view, the restaurant next to the Julianatoren was named “Belvedère” (meaning “beautiful view”).

In 1942, during World War II, the Germans took over the Julianatoren. As a result, the word “princess” had to be removed, and the watchtower was renamed the “Julia Tower.” The watchtower was, of course, a perfect lookout post for the Germans. However, as the trees continued to grow, they soon had to add another story to the top.

In 1965, the observation tower came into the possession of the municipality, which sold it to the Kreekel family, owners of the Prins Bernard Dal amusement park, which had been established in 1937.

Prins Bernard Dal was located a little further down the hill and had found itself in a difficult situation due to municipal regulations. Because the parking lots were being expropriated, half of the terraces had to be demolished to make way for new ones. Unfortunately, this was not feasible, and Prins Bernard Dal closed in 1966. In 1969, the building was demolished, and the attractions were moved to the Queen Juliana Tower.

The “old” Queen Juliana Tower is now better known as the Julianatoren Children’s Amusement Park. It is named after the tower that stands in the middle of the attractions.