The mansion of Huis te Zeist, set in beautiful gardens, was built by Jacob Roman and Daniël Marot in 1677-86 for Willem Adriaan van Nassau-Odijk on the foundations of an earlier medieval castle. Willem Adriaan was the son of Lodewijk van Nassau-Beverweerd, an illegitimate son of Prince Maurice of Nassau. He spent his early days in Paris, and when he came into the property in 1677 he resolved to build a miniature Versailles at Zeist. In 1745 the house passed into the hands of Cornelis Schellinger, a wealthy Amsterdam ironmaster who belonged to the Moravian Brethren.
In Broederplein and Zusterplein are a number of handsome houses built by Schellinger for members of his community; some of them are still occupied by Moravian Brethren, others by the Ancient Monuments Department. During the 18th and 19th centuries Huis te Zeist was occupied by a variety of tenants. In 1924 the house, then in a dilapidated condition, was bought by the town and, after thorough restoration, is now used for exhibitions, receptions and various cultural events.
About 7km/4.5mi east of Zeist, on a hill (62m/203ft) to the left of the road, is the Austerlitz Pyramid, erected by French troops in 1805 to commemorate Napoleon's victory over Austrian and Russian forces at Austerlitz in that year. From the top of the hill there are fine views of the surrounding area.
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