The best city hikes and walks in Het Leesten

Beautiful park with lots of water

Center is quite empty at the moment.

Nieuwe Kostersbrug over De Grift is the transition from the shopping area. Historical interpretation: With its fast-flowing, clear water, the Grift was not only an important economic artery of Apeldoorn, the Grift was also a defining feature for centuries. Bridges over the Grift served as landmarks in the city centre. For example, the Kostebeinsbrugtje from the Brinklaan was the beginning of the Hofstraat and the Kosterbrug from the Hofstraat the beginning of the Dorpstraat. In the fifties of the last century, many parts of the Grift were narrowed, filled in or moved underground for the widening of roads and for the construction of new shops and homes. As a result, the water disappeared from view. Due to its cultural-historical value, among other things, the Grift has been opened up above ground or dug again in many places since 2002. As a result, one of the carriers of the development and structure of Apeldoorn is once again a visible part of the city centre. With the ambition to turn the Apeldoorn city centre into a large city park, water in the city is of course a must. Triggered? Want to know more about this special watercourse? Click through to the story at https://uit.inapeldoorn.nl/historisch-verhaal-van-de-grift/

This Street Art work was created by Belgian artist Gijs Vanhee in collaboration with DZIA in 2013. Ironically enough, the eagle and snake were victims of graffiti artists a few years ago.

Right in the heart of Apeldoorn you will find the Oranjerie shopping centre. With a growing range of shops and restaurants, there is something for everyone in the completely transformed shopping centre. Come shop, enjoy and meet! Bad weather? Don't worry: the Oranjerie is completely covered and with more than five hundred parking spaces in the underlying parking garage you can reach the shops without having caught a drop of rain.

The large bronze artwork 'Nutcrackerrr' was created by the artist duo SpaceCowboys. The head of 'Nutcrackerrr' is that of a friendly squirrel and the body is that of an 8-year-old boy. The sculpture also refers to another aspect of the environment: in the city and on the Veluwe, the squirrel is a frequently seen animal. The squirrel is known as a performer that attracts attention and that is why this artwork fits so well in this cultural and entertainment area. Always fun to have your picture taken with Nutcrackerrr.

In the middle of the Beekpark you will find the bust of former mayor Antoine Louis des Tombe. Just after the war, in 1946, he came as mayor to a village with an identity crisis. He told Apeldoorn to keep its national image or Apeldoorn had to continue to develop and expand with new companies and neighborhoods. Des Tombe knew this and committed himself to attracting industries, more schools, a theater and pop venue, a new town hall, a better hospital and with that gave that final push from 'becoming a city' to 'being a city'. Apeldoorn grew to 128,000 inhabitants in 1972. Apeldoorn is now the 11th city in the Netherlands in terms of inhabitants and thus slightly larger than Groningen, Maastricht or nearby Arnhem.

The special artwork 'Hert & Jager' is somewhat hidden in the green lush park of the Beekpark. The artwork represents the connection between Veluwe and Apeldoorn.