Sint Jorisgebouw (the saint george’s building)
Straight across the entrance of the Bernhardkazerne lies the St Jorisgebouw, named after Sint Joris (Saint George), the patron saint of the Cavalry (and of the town Amersfoort).
The building dates from 1952 and for that time it was a very modern building, construction wise. Its original destination was to house a school.
Inside the building the original classrooms and corridors at levels 2 and 3 can still be found because the concrete skeleton of the building is clearly visible. The building is now thoroughly modified in order to perform its museal function.
Ground floor
On the ground floor (level 1) of the Sint Jorisgebouw the most important aspects of the Cavalry are shown and explained. This forms an introduction to the rest of the exhibition.
On this level you will find the museum shop, a space for temporary exhibitions and the entrance to the elevator. On level 1 an impression
The Time of the Horse
On the second level most attention is given to the period in time in which the horse was the prime mains of transport for the Cavalry. This period starts with the Eighty Years’ War (1568-1648) and ends just prior to World War I. Here the prizes are shown that were won by cavalrymen in many horse riding and jumping contests. A special topic on this level is ‘Orange and the Cavalry’ Here objects that are property of the Royal House are on exhibit. Also on this level the oldest rifles and handguns in use by the Cavalry are shown. Small arms are shown in several places in the museum.
Wheels and Tracks
Already prior to World War II cavalry units were provided with armoured cars and motorcycles. The horses were partly replaced by bicycles as means of transport prior to World War I. On level 3 the exhibition starts with the mobilization of 1914 – 1918. The presentation is followed by the history of the days in May 1940, the time of The Netherlands’ East Indies and the Cold War. It ends with the so called Peace Keeping Operations. In the second museum building, the Landsverkgebouw, the exhibition of Wheels and Tracks is completed.
Waterloo Hall
At the top level a space (Waterloo zaal) is available for special occasions.
Further reading under the heading facilities
