A steel mirage
After the Unia family's manor was demolished in 1756, the site lay empty for centuries. Only the gatehouse, the Poarte, dating from 1616 remained. Around 1990, an initiative began to bring the manor back to life. A steel replica rose on the site of the old walls, conceived as a mirage of the past. The original was an L-shaped building with a slender stair tower in the angle; the replica also has a viewing tower.
St Mary's Church as visitor centre
The 13th-century Mariakerk serves as the visitor centre. Inside, a timeline of Uniastate is displayed on scrolls, along with a film about erecting the steel structure. In the gallery behind the organ is a media library about Frisian manors and fortified houses. The church has bells from 1569 and a richly carved pulpit made by E. Swalue in 1759.
A playground of furniture
The Kultuerboartersplak opened in 2013: a playground of tilted pieces of furniture beside the manor, designed by an artist and built by the Mannen van Staal with many volunteers. Uniastate and the church are also official wedding venues of the municipality of Leeuwarden.