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Many-sided The Hague
The Hague – a city to be proud of
The citizens of The Hague are proud of their city not only because it is the residence of the Dutch queen and the seat of government, but because it is also a pleasant city to live in and visit, a fact confirmed by the twenty million visitors that come from all parts of the world each year. The Hague has almost half a million inhabitants representing over one hundred nationalities. It is The Netherlands third largest city and a third of its area, or a hundred square kilometres, are green with woodlands covering more than four hundred hectares. In addition, ‘Europe’s greenest city’ offers two seaside resorts: Scheveningen and Kijkduin. |
World capital of justice, peace and security The Hague is the home of almost all international organisations concerned with peace and justice. The Peace Palace houses the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Court of Justice and the Academy of International Law. The International Criminal Court, the headquarters of Europol and the Yugoslavia Tribunal are also located in The Hague. The presence of all these institutions, where important decisions impacting on the world are made, makes The Hague - behind New York, Vienna and Geneve - the fourth city of the United Nations. In addition, many other international institutions have also established their headquarters in The Hague and the city has more than a hundred embassies and consulates proving that it is truly a diplomat’s city. | | |
| | The crown jewel For centuries, The Hague has been the centre of Dutch history. In 1248 William II, Count of Holland, built his Knight’s Hall (‘Ridderzaal’) in the city and the Dutch parliament has operated from the Binnenhof since 1446. The Queen also resides in the city at the Huis ten Bosch palace. Many royal palaces still function, like the Noordeinde, which is the Queen’s ‘working palace’. The Crown Prince, Willem-Alexander, his wife Máxima and their daughters live on the edge of the city, in a place called Wassenaar. The palace at Lange Voorhout, where Queen Emma resided until 1934, is a now a museum. |
City centre: a-jack-of-all-trades Shopping in The Hague is an adventure. Besides the big department stores, the city offers many streets with countless fashion boutiques and other clothing stores, trendy or haute couture, for all ages and in all price ranges. Between shopping one can relax and watch people from a cosy pavement café, from a tearoom or a pub. Lovers of art and antiques will really enjoy themselves in the city’s many antique shops and galleries. The Hague also offers an exciting range of cultural activities in venues in and around the city centre including cabaret, theatre, music, dance and much more presented by companies such as the Residence Orchestra or the Netherlands Dance Theatre. | | |
| | Architectural tours de force The area of the city around the Central Railway Station has been modernized and here Ministries, offices and also apartments are housed in remarkable buildings designed by famous national and international architects. From this striking area the cultural heart of The Hague is just a short walk away. Visitors will find there a tempting and bustling nightlife, like in the city itself. |
A wealth of attractions and museums
The Hague has a large and diverse range of attractions and museums. A visit to the movie theatre Omniversum offers a spectacular and informative experience. Sea Life Scheveningen provides visitors with an exhaustive view into the mysterious and wonderful underwater world. The miniature city of Madurodam is open to the public the whole year round and is lit up like a fairy land in the evening. The Municipal Museum, which is housed in a building designed by the well-known Dutch architect Berlage, is famous for its collection of paintings and drawings of Piet Mondriaan. Wonderful paintings can also be found in the Mauritshuis, including Rembrandt’s ‘The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp’ and Johannes Vermeer’s the ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’. | | |
| | Sun, sea and an endless beach The Hague has two seaside resorts; Scheveningen and Kijkduin, while in close proximity to each other are distinctive in the attractions they offer. The resorts are easily accessible by public transport from the city centre and there are no other places in The Netherlands where one can switch so easily from the urban environment to the joys of sun and sea than these two beaches. Scheveningen is a lively beach resort with an
international atmosphere represented by the impressive Steigenberger
Kurhaus hotel situated in front of the modern Holland Casino. |
A visit to the Museum ‘Statues on the Sea’ (Beelden aan Zee), which is more or less hidden in the sand dunes, is a unique experience. Alternative attractions includes the health resort Vitalizee or the Circus Theatre where the musical the Lion King plays to a full house night after night. In Scheveningen, life is never dull, as the ten million people who visit the resort each year can testify. Kijkduin is on a smaller scale than Scheveningen but is not less attractive. The Deltaplein offers a wide variety of shops and restaurants and the pubs along the sea front offer a nice view of the North Sea. The sand dunes are very near, and their quietness guarantees an enjoyable stroll or bicycle ride.
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