The Hague, royal city and government city

10 January 2020 0 By beheerder

The Hague is the capital of the province of South Holland. It is also the city where the Dutch government is housed and where over the years also quite a few members of the Court of Orange were housed. It is the third largest municipality in the Netherlands after Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The Hague is the largest city on the North Sea and has a total of just under 11 kilometers of coastline.

Due to its location directly on the North Sea, seaside resorts were quickly realized here, namely Scheveningen and Kijkduin. Scheveningen has traditionally been a fishing village and has its own harbor. Its location on the North Sea has made The Hague an international tourist resort from an early age.

The Binnenhof

In addition to housing the Dutch government, The Hague is also the city with the most embassies and almost all ministries are located in the royal city. Because of this you might think that The Hague is actually the capital of the Netherlands instead of Amsterdam.

The Hague is also the city of the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.

The Hague - Binnenhof — The Hague – Binnenhof

the Hague Bluff

The city of The Hague is also sometimes called ‘s Gravenhage. This name originated in the 17th century because people thought this sounded more elegant. The name The Hague continued to exist and in fact the name ‘s Gravenhage was only used by residents of The Hague itself. For many Dutch people, this craving for the decadent style didn’t go down well. Terms such as “Haagse Kak” and “the Hague Bluff” quickly emerged, which made fun of the name ‘s Gravenhage into account.

The Binnenhof

The core of the city is the Binnenhof with surrounding famous squares and streets such as Lange Voorhout, Kneuterdijk and Plein. Traditionally, the major attractions in the city are the Binnenhof and Noordeinde Palace. The Buitenhof is right next to the Binnenhof. The Buitenhof together with the Hofweg and the Spuistraat form a covered shopping gallery.

If you take the time to look around you during the store and also look up, you will soon discover that the store gallery is full of the most beautiful ornaments. The store gallery was built in 1885 but the Buitenhof has been around for longer. Already in the 13th century when the Binnenhof was built there were houses and stables on the Buitenhof. There has even been a small zoo on the Buitenhof. Here mainly birds of prey were kept for hunting, later on hunting dogs were supposed to be kept here.

The Hague - Buitenhof — The Hague – Buitenhof

Arts and Culture

The hague is filled with a large number of museums and collections. The Hague is a city that overflows with culture and history if you know where to look. But The Hague is also a bustling city with a vibrant nightlife in short The Hague is a city full of surprises. If you have already seen everything such as the Binnenhof or Noordeinde Palace and you are looking for something else, you can. For example, an Urban Farm has been installed on the 6th floor of the old office building De Schilde.

Urban Fish is cultivated here, but if you go one floor higher you will discover a greenhouse with lettuce and tomatoes. If you prefer art and culture you can take a look at the Nutshuis. This is an independent stage for art, culture and society. Go here to a garden concert or to an open air cinema. You should not miss the Nutshuis if art and culture are your thing.

the Hague - the Nutshouse — the Hague – the Nutshouse

Scheveningen beach

And then of course there is the beach. As soon as the sun breaks through, The Hague runs empty towards the coast. And not without reason of course because The Hague has beautiful beaches where you can enjoy the sun, sea and wind. On the beach, everything ther is a lot of activity, from wave surfers to kite surfers.

Kiting is a popular activity on the beaches of The Hague, Scheveningen and Kijkduin. If you visit The Hague you have not seen everything if you have not been to the beach. If you visit the beach then you should of course not skip the Pier of Scheveningen and the Kurhaus in Scheveningen.

Scheveningen - Kurhaus — Scheveningen – Kurhaus

Kijkduin and the Westduinpark

Westduinpark is located between Scheveningen and Kijkduin. The Westduinpark is a nature reserve and is very important for the city in terms of nature, recreation, landscape and not forgetting sea walls.

It is a very varied area where you can go hiking, cycling or horse riding. The plants and animal species that live in this area live here in a protected environment.

The Hague - Westduinpark — The Hague – Westduinpark

Madurodam

An absolute must for anyone visiting The Hague is Madurodam. Madurodam is a miniature Netherlands where the most important sights of the Netherlands have been executed in miniature. Madurodam is built on a scale of 1:25 and all models have been recreated in detail. Vehicles such as trains, boats and cars have also been reconstructed to scale and run through the miniature Netherlands. Madurodam is a location outside, so keep in mind the Dutch weather when you go here. The park is accessible to everyone, including wheelchair users or people with assistance animals.