Introduction

The Hague is a city of many faces. Only half an hour from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol this green city is home to the Dutch royal family as well as the Dutch government. With a total cover area of 100 km2, a population of 500.000 and more than 100 nationalities is The Hague the third largest city in the Netherlands. It has a charming and historic city centre with all kinds of entertainment including world-class shopping centres, theatres, and unique restaurants. Furthermore there are two vibrant beachside resorts Scheveningen and Kijkduin that offer a wide variety of attractions. With approximately thirty museums, some of which are internationally renowned such as the Mauritshuis, but many less well known although no less interesting. You can see some fabulous art while enjoying this sophisticated city full of life! The Hague is a fine place to live and visit. This is confirmed year after year by more than 20 million guests who come here from every corner of the globe.

History of The Hague

The Hague was originally a hamlet close to the count's castle built in the 13th century. The village was first recorded in a document dated 1370, but it has never been granted a charter. Charters entitled medieval villages to erect defence walls and dig moats to protect their citizens. It also gave villages certain privileges, including the right to administer justice. Attempts by The Hague to obtain a charter were continuously thwarted, although noblemen in the Large Hall of the Count’s Castle administered justice. In 1811 The Hague was granted a 48-hour charter by Napoleon, when he proclaimed The Hague 'Bonne Ville de l'Empire'. Passing through on his journey from Amsterdam to Paris, he refused to stay in a village.

No City Rights

Even today, The Hague has no charter. From 1851 local legislation has no longer distinguished between city and countryside. The Netherlands now has only municipalities, with the exception of Amsterdam, which is a city under the Dutch Constitution. 's-Gravenhage -- the official name for The Hague and is literally translated as 'the Count's hedge' -- was never awarded city rights. Although The Hague gives an outward appearance of being a full-fledged city, it is still known today as 'the largest village of Europe'. Even though voices whispered 'The Hague is the third largest city of the Netherlands' with a population then of 450,000, it was still not granted its charter when it celebrated its 750th anniversary in 1998.

Coat of Arms

Although still without a charter, The Hague boasts its own Coat of Arms. The Coat of Arms was officially laid down by order of the Dutch College of Arms on 24 July 1861 and is described as follows: 'In gold a striding stork of a natural colour, holding in its beak a sable-coloured eel. The shield is covered by an antique count's crown and held by two golden lions looking round'. It is likely that the illustration on the Coat of Arms is based on the medieval storks that used to build their nests on the little island in the Hofvijver or "Court Pond". This was seen by The Hague population as a sign of fortune as the storks would finish off all the fish remains after the fish market. These remains would otherwise rot and cause infectious diseases. The stork is depicted on all municipal institutions and on the tower of the Grote Kerk.

Royal Traditions

The Hague has been at the centre of Dutch history for centuries. Its ties with the royal house date from 1248 when Count Willem II resided here. Since then, the Netherlands has been governed from The Hague’s Binnenhof. Even today, The Hague is the seat of political power: the Dutch parliament meets in the Binnenhof, and the Queen who acts as the official head of state resides in the city. Of the many royal palaces in The Hague, some are still actually in use by members of the House of Orange. These include Noordeinde Palace where the Queen has her offices and Huis ten Bosch Palace where she lives. Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima live on the outskirts of The Hague at De Horsten, an estate in the municipality of Wassenaar. The Hague is no stranger to royal ceremony. ‘Prinsjesdag’, traditionally held on the third Tuesday in September, marks the annual opening of parliament. On this day, the Queen rides in her golden carriage to the Knight’s Hall where she makes her speech of the throne before riding through the city accompanied by her family and retinue. Queen’s Day is celebrated on 30 April and is the birthday of our former sovereign, Queen Juliana. It is also the day on which Princess Beatrix succeeded her as queen in 1980.

World Capital of Peace and Justice

The Hague is the home base for almost every international organisation related to promoting peace and administrating justice. Good examples are the Peace Palace, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Court of Justice and the Academy of International Law. The Hague also accommodates the International Criminal Court, the headquarters of Europol, the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) and the Yugoslavian Tribunal. These agencies, where decisions are made that affect the entire world, make The Hague the fourth most important city for UN activities after New York, Vienna and Geneva. It is no wonder that so many other international organizations are established in The Hague. The fact that The Hague is a city of diplomacy is illustrated by its more than 104 embassies and consulates and there are over a 100 nationalities living in the city.

Overflowing with Museums

The Hague has so many things to see and do - all year round for young and old alike and from modern art to old classic masters. Visitors to The Hague can choose from a wide variety of museums, ranging from famous 17th century paintings in the Mauritshuis and contemporary art in the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag to smaller, specialised collections, including interesting items such as puppets or medieval manuscripts or for example the Mesdag Museum and the Bredius Museum. The one painting that will probably keep you entranced the longest is the Panorama Mesdag - Scheveningen in 1881, one of the few remaining panorama paintings.

The Gemeentemuseum Den Haag is well-known for its unique collection of paintings and drawings by the world-famous Dutch artist Piet Mondriaan like ‘Victory Boogie Woogie’. This museum, housed in the splendid building designed by H.P. Berlage, is just one of the many museums in The Hague where visitors can admire fantastic art collections. Another of these is the Mauritshuis with such works as ‘The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp’ by Rembrandt, ‘The Girl with the Pearl Earring’ by Johannes Vermeer, and many other world-famous works by such Dutch Masters such as Jan Steen, Frans Hals and Paulus Potter. These are some of the top items of an extensive collection of paintings by old and modern masters in The Hague. This ‘Den Haag Collection’ is housed in six museums and the separate collections jointly present five centuries of paintings.

Madurodam

Miniature city Madurodam, all of Holland in just one city! The world-famous miniature city Madurodam has been the perfect attraction for more than 50 years to become acquainted with all the amazing aspects of the Netherlands. Canal-side houses from Amsterdam, the Cathedral Tower of Utrecht, the Dutch Parliament buildings with the Queen’s Golden Carriage and a section of the Delta Works; Everything the Netherlands is famous for can be found replicated to the smallest detail on a scale of 1:25. All of this is set in beautiful flower gardens. Madurodam is full of movement; moving aeroplanes, windmills turn, tour boats move down the canals, a fire is extinguished at the port and trains cross the whole city moving along the largest miniature railway in the world. Madurodam: worth a visit all year round!

For more information on the Hague please visit the following website: www.denhaag.com

City of the Hague Municipality:
Spui 70
2511 BT The Hague
The Netherlands

Telephone: +31 (0)70 353 3000