The sundial located on Lijnbaan is one of the last remaining tangible memories of the former Amaliastein pleasure garden. Johan Wolfert van Brederode commissioned the sundial in the 17th Century when conducting a thorough renovation and beautification of both Amaliastein and Batestein castles. In designing it, Johan Wolfert van Brederode probably made use of the services of Jacob van Campen. This architect, who is now best known for the Palace on Dam Square in Amsterdam, designed the water pump that can now be found on Hofplein, in addition to the sundial.
The sundial, decorated with 4 small, fat, naked ang…
The sundial located on Lijnbaan is one of the last remaining tangible memories of the former Amaliastein pleasure garden. Johan Wolfert van Brederode commissioned the sundial in the 17th Century when conducting a thorough renovation and beautification of both Amaliastein and Batestein castles. In designing it, Johan Wolfert van Brederode probably made use of the services of Jacob van Campen. This architect, who is now best known for the Palace on Dam Square in Amsterdam, designed the water pump that can now be found on Hofplein, in addition to the sundial.
The sundial, decorated with 4 small, fat, naked angels (putti), is an important example of monumental garden sculpture. It actually consists of 8 sundials in one. On each of the 8 planes facing north, north-east, east, south-east, south, south-west, west and north-west respectively, is a protruding triangle that tells the time. The northernmost 3 triangles thus show the night-time hours.
After the sale and eventual demolition of Amaliastein in the 19th Century, the sundial also fell into private ownership. The sundial remained in the former garden of Amaliastein until the early 20th Century. It was then relocated to the Stameren country estate in Maarn. In 1958, the owners donated the sundial to the municipality of Vianen, which placed it in a park on the Lijnbaan.
Further reading: Amaliastein, Hofplein water pump, The Hofpoort, Willow landscape and the Bolgarian forest, Large Pump/Vianen Town Pump, Brederode statue.
