Yellow Star-of-Behtlehem at Schierstins, Feanwâlden.

Yellow Star-of-Behtlehem at Schierstins, Feanwâlden. Photo: Schierstins.

The Schierstins is the only ‘Stins’, as a medieval stone tower in Fryslân is called, that has been preserved. The building was created to defend the people and dates back to around 1300. It is known that the ‘Stins’ in 1439 was called Schira Monnika huse. Later on various constructions were realised to make the tower suitable for habitation so that prominent people could use the Schierstins as a house to live during the summer. The historic building has been restored several times and is now used as a cultural and historical center. A new exhibition is on permanent display: ‘(De) Lêste Toerstins‘. In the north and east of the Netherlands, the Schierstins is the only one that can be visited by the public. The small-scale garden around the stins has many Stinzenplants. The biologist Dr. J Botke, who used the name ‘Stinzenplanten’ for the first time in 1932, would have derived the name from the plants around the Schierstins, which were called ‘Stinzeblomkes‘ by the villagers and he mentioned in particular the Double Meadow Saxifrage. In 2001 the garden was reopened after a thorough renovation and since then more Stinzenplants have been reintroduced. Even the rare Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem can be found a here. A volunteer garden committee manages the garden.

Visiting address:
Haadstrjitte 1 / Hoofdstraat 1
9269 SW Feanwâlden / Veenwouden
+31 (0) 511 472937
info@schierstins.nl
Tuesday – Sunday inclusively 1.30 – 5 pm.
Entrance to the garden is free. Guided tours are possible on request
Website: www.schierstins.nl