Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Slovenia mushroom foraging
Slovenia • 6 days, 5 nights
Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Hibiya Godzilla Square
Three Mile Island nuclear power plant.
Three Mile Island Historical Marker
Historical Marker.
Naval Air Station Richmond
Today, all that’s left of the mishap-plagued dam is its powerhouse.
Historic Hales Bar Dam Powerhouse
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The first photo of the “woolly devil” made a stir among botanists when Deb Manley uploaded it to iNaturalist in March 2024.
How the Woolly Devil, Member of a New Plant Genus, Was Discovered on a Hike in Big Bend
about 9 hours ago
You don’t need to go to Turkey to see hundreds of hot air balloons rising.
Dear Atlas: Where Can I Find the Most Unusual Festivals in the U.S.?
1 day ago
Located in Indianola, Mississippi, Club Ebony hosted performances by blues legends like B.B. King.
How Club Ebony Helped Keep the Blues Alive in the Jim Crow South
1 day ago
Spot Gentoos and other species of penguins waddling, swimming, and diving from icebergs.
Adventure at Sea: An Explorer’s Guide to Antarctica
2 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the Netherlands Woudenberg Pyramid of Austerlitz

Pyramid of Austerlitz

A grassy pyramid named after a French battle.

Woudenberg, Netherlands

Added By
Renate
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The pyramid as it stands today.   Wikimedia
The pyramid as it stands today.   Wikimedia
An illustration of the original pyramid.  
The crumbling pyramid steps.   Wikimedia
Pyramid of Austerlitz   Boris Kirov / Atlas Obscura User
  kristenrichards21 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Built by the French army in 1804, this landmark in the heart of the Netherlands is modeled after the Pyramid of Khufu in Egypt.  Just a few years after its construction, the name was changed to commemorate Napoleon's victory in the 1806 Battle of Austerlitz.

The original pyramid, which was made of earth and sand terraces in just 27 days, didn't survive very long, quickly eroded by unforgiving weather conditions. The original needle atop the hill was made of wood, but met the same end as the original earthen construction, strong winds and rain quickly demolishing the obelisk. Finally, a stone spire was constructed,  but initial efforts to keep the man-made hill in good repair were met with continual setbacks, and the pyramid fell into disrepair for much of the 20th century. 

Luckily, in the early 2000's restoration of the monument began, and the current pyramid is composed of lush grass-covered steps leading up to the crowning obelisk. While the structure is still quite delicate, thanks to the placement of a metal framework visitors can actually climb the central staircase up to the obelisk. The Pyramid of Austerlitz is currently a popular tourist attraction surrounded by a fun fair, cafe and other modern amenities.   

 

Related Tags

Outsider Architecture

Know Before You Go

The pyramid is easily reached by car. Parkingarea is along the N224 heading east from Zeist.
Travelling with public transport, bus nr. 81 from Driebergen-Zeist trainstation stops right in front of the tiny visitors' centre.

Community Contributors

Added By

Renate

Edited By

EricGrundhauser, kristenrichards21, Boris Kirov

  • EricGrundhauser
  • kristenrichards21
  • Boris Kirov

Published

August 15, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Pyramid of Austerlitz
13 Dennenweg
Woudenberg, 3931 MG
Netherlands
52.087036, 5.33871
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Huis Doorn

Doorn, Netherlands

miles away

Belgian Monument

Amersfoort, Netherlands

miles away

Lange Duinen

Soest, Netherlands

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Netherlands

Netherlands

Europe

Places 354
Stories 20

Nearby Places

Huis Doorn

Doorn, Netherlands

miles away

Belgian Monument

Amersfoort, Netherlands

miles away

Lange Duinen

Soest, Netherlands

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Netherlands

Netherlands

Europe

Places 354
Stories 20

Related Places

  • Tres Piedras, New Mexico

    $CRAP$ Shrine

    It is intended to take one back to a stripped-down simplicity, to spend extended time both inside and out, and absorb the natural drama of the Upper Rio Grande Valley.

  • George Masaveg in front of his creation

    Cleveland, Ohio

    George Masaveg Art Home

    One man's collection of found art, sculpture, and ephemera adorns his two side-by-side homes.

  • Bispingen, Germany

    Iserhatsche

    A German artist built a home and garden filled with whimsical art pieces, like a massive, operational volcano.

  • Veiga, Spain

    Casa das Pedriñas

    This house covered in small stones was the work of one man over the course of nearly 30 years.

  • Mosaic along the wall in the back yard

    Dunedin, Florida

    Mosaic House of Dunedin

    In this Florida couple's cottage, nearly every surface—inside and out—is covered in mosaic artwork.

  • Metal gate sculpture

    Denver, Colorado

    Enchanted Hart Haus

    A home covered with elaborate mosaic and other pieces of art.

  • Benalmádena, Spain

    Castillo Monumento Colomares

    A New York–based physician returned home to Spain to build his own elaborate monument to Christopher Columbus.

  • 1895 Looff Carousel

    San Diego, California

    1895 Looff Carousel

    One of the few remaining carousels built by master amusement park carver Charles I.D. Looff.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.