Hortus Conclusus © Berkman en Janssens 2006 Bleiswijk bicycle tunnels

Nature transformed into fairy-tale landscape ‘Hortus Conclusus’  
The artwork ‘Hortus Conclusus’ of Berkman en Janssens consists of four groups of white sculptures that are positioned in a gently sloping landscape. Access to this enchanting world is prevented in a playful but also robust way by the placement of two monumental corten-steel fences, each 38 meters long and 1.70 meters high.

Animal figures can also be seen as decoration of the fence; the birds and the surrounding flowers from the Rottemeren area are cut from 20 millimeters thick steel. Through these cut out parts of the fence the visitor can see the white animals such as the unicorn, the lion, the dog and the lamb. You can find the ‘Hortus Conclusus’ by using the bicycle and pedestrian tunnel, which was built along the banks of the Rotte.

The tunnels (110 m x 3,5 m) announce the central area from afar. Thousands of small birds, such as the little bitterns, nightingales and golden orioles , in the warm colors orange and yellow, accompany the passerby to the central area where the story of ‘The Lady and the Unicorn’ is told.

The fairytale artwork is located in the landscape on the banks of the Rotte below the A12 near Bleiswijk. Commissioned by Prorail and GZH (Groenservice Zuid-Holland) and in collaboration with Grontmij and Heijmans BV. The work of art ‘Hortus Conclusus’ decorates in a playful way two bicycle and pedestrian tunnels and the public area in between. The tunnels connect the north and south of the recreational area De Rottemeren.