Students benefit from sale of monumental Utrecht property

For over 250 years, the eye-catching building next to the Central Museum was owned by Fundatie van de Vrijvrouwe van Renswoude. Due to rising maintenance costs, the foundation decided late last year to put the building up for sale, along with its furnishings. 

In recent years, the building has mainly served as a venue for weddings and other gatherings. Frans van der Stigchel, secretary-treasurer of the foundation, was gutted by the decision to sell it. "We are very sorry, selling it was never our goal," he said.

According to Van der Stigchel, they must move out of the building to continue complying with the will of Lady Maria Duyst van Voorhout. In 1754, she left one and a half million guilders (about 55 million euros today) to provide promising orphans with education in Utrecht.

Thanks to that money, the building on Agnietenstraat was inaugurated as an educational institute for orphans in 1761. Today, the fund is mainly spent on the building's maintenance and scholarships to support underprivileged students.

"Hopefully a hundred scholarships a year"
The foundation provides around twenty scholarships a year to students from Utrecht's secondary and higher vocational schools. International students studying in Utrecht are also eligible. Van der Stigchel hopes to hand out around a hundred scholarships after the sale. Currently, most scholarships amount to around 1,500 euros per year. "The idea that we will soon be able to help many more students makes it easier for us to sell, not to mention it is in line with the will. We also want to be more generous with students who need a higher scholarship."

Gun factor 
The foundation does not have a minimum price or a page on Funda. Van der Stigchel stresses that a prospective buyer must care about the building and everything in it, caring for its legacy. 

The foundation's inventory recalls the time when education was provided in the building. There is a lecture hall, a dining hall, a dormitory and several reception rooms. The regents' room is one of the best-preserved rococo rooms in the Netherlands. Van der Stigchel: "We don't want anyone to just paste wallpaper over it. The ideal buyer has to say: ‘I want to keep that historical value, all the art in the building and the striking architectural style.’’

Are you interested in a grant from the foundation? Click here to check out if you are eligible.