The history of Apeldoorn goes back to the year 792, when the "villa ut marca Appoldro" was mentioned in a deed of gift. At the time the "city" only consisted of few houses, it has grown to a thriving city over the centuries.
At the end of the 16th century, when the paper industry began to flourish, Apeldoorn began to grow. In 1684 Willem III van Oranje (the ancestor of the Dutch Royal family) bought house Het Loo and build palace Het Loo in Apeldoorn. Several members of the Royal family have lived there over the centuries, which gave the city its still present charm and charisma.
During the 20th century Apeldoorn has grown into one of the larger cities in the Netherlands, measuring 340 km2.
Compared to other towns and cities, Apeldoorn is surprisingly different. The beautiful gardens, many city parks, impressive detached dwellings and relatively few high-rise buildings, give it an atmosphere of tranquillity and space.
The fairly large rural area around the centre that is home to villages such as Hoenderloo, Beekbergen/Lieren, Loenen, Oosterhuizen, Klarenbeek, Wenum-Wiesel, Beemte Broekland, Uddel, Hoog Soeren, Radio Kootwijk and Ugchelen, strongly enhances the atmosphere.
Apeldoorn is located in the centre of Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland. It's situated along National Park the Veluwe, with western parts of the city spread over forest covered hills dotted with small lakes, and eastern parts stretching into a wooded valley.