The story about the festival site reads like a street name book, as the namesakes of the streets in the area - Nassau Odijklaan, Zinzendorflaan, Cornelis Schellingerlaan and Herrnhuttersingel - have everything to do with each other and with the church of the Evangelical Brotherhood.
When the Great Church Hall, which we call our concert hall, was inaugurated in 1768, a long history had already preceded it. A history that begins in 1722 when Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf founded the settlement of Herrnhut in Saxony. Count Zinzendorf was keen on travelling and set himself the goal of spreading the gospel among the people. In 1736, he came to the Netherlands. From then on, the history of Zeist, Slot Zeist and the Evangelical Brethren Church became inextricably linked.
Actually, it all rests on coincidence. Had Willem Adriaan van Nassau not put the manor and seigniory of Zeist up for sale in 1745, it would never have come into the hands of Cornelis Schellinger, a merchant from Amsterdam. Schellinger, himself a hernhutter, bought it with the aim of establishing a settlement of the Brethren Church there. He didn't waste any time, because from 1748 onwards, the friars' house was built on either side of the long driveway to the Slot, and the sisters' house on the other side. Over a decade later, about twenty houses stand on both squares and an estimated three hundred hernhutters live there.
Those who think everything is going well are wrong. In the late 18th century, the Hernhutters were still portrayed as unwelcome guests to the States of Utrecht. But while in Herrnhut they were safe under ‘des Herrn Hut’, now they could do little because they were protected by the castle guardian. The celebrations therefore took place within the walls of the Slot, until on 9 October 1766 the foundation stone was laid of the present church hall, which was inaugurated two years later. The church hall had to fit between the houses that were already standing on Sister Square at the time, so it was given the appearance of a terraced house. This seems strange, but fits exactly with the way the hernhutters live. Everything under one roof: living, working and believing.
Now, over 250 years later, it houses not only its own faith community, but also numerous cultural activities within the congregation. There are more historic properties on Friar Square and Sister Square. In 2018, for instance, a museum was opened in the Hernhutter House, showcasing the history of the faith community and the location. There are also the Little Church Hall and the Coach House, where some of our activities also take place during the festival. Without the Brotherhood, Zeist would be an important venue poorer.