Dekemastate country estate was built in the 14th century, at which time the house was a fortified dwelling. The first mention of the estate is from the year 1486. It was originally a rectangular stone house (called a stins in Frisian), and has been rebuilt since. Its owners include the Camstra family, the heiress of which married Hette van Dekema in the 16th century who gave the estate its current name. Other owners are Van Unia, Doys, Houth and Van Wageningen, the last of whom lived in the house until 1996. After that, the estate was taken over by the Dekema Foundation and went through extensive restoration. The inside of the house is filled with items from the past of its owners going back to the 16th century and features original furniture as well as a portrait collection. The house used to have two stories but was later redesigned and now possesses a spacious attic. The gardens around the manor feature canals, a moat surrounding the house, an herb garden and an orchard.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.