Netherlands> Destinations

The Hague

The Hague, Netherlands is a international center of business, politics, education and tourism. It is located in the district of South Holland, with an area of 98.22 sq. km and an urban population of almost half a million toward 2004. The greater area has approximately 700 000 inhabitants. The characteristic flag in bright green and yellow is recognized worldwide. The symbol of the city is a stork.

The Hague is the administrative capital of the Netherlands and South Holland. It is the third biggest city in the country after Amsterdam and Rotterdam. It is the seat of Parliament (Senate and chambers), the Supreme Court, and a number of UN institutions such as the International Court of Justice, International Criminal Court, the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Republic of Yugoslavia, and other famous organizations like Europol and the Hague Academy of International Law. Futhermore, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands lives and works here, and the city is the location of most ministries and embassies, even though the capital city of Holland is officially Amsterdam. The political center of the country is the Knight's Hall and Binnenhof, seat of Parliament. German king and count of Holland William II established The Hague in 1248. He commissioned a castle close to the sea in Holland with the intention to live there after becoming emperor of Rome. Unfortunately he was killed before he could be crowned, but the remains of the castle survive to this day and are referred to as the Knight's Hall.

The Hague became an administrative center under the rule of Dutch counts at a later time of history. It has always been the political center of the Netherlands, even though there have been more powerful cities in Holland throughout history.

The city was permitted to build walls in the 16th century, but its inhabitants spent the money on a city hall instead. This was an unwise move in hindsight, as Spanish forces easily conquered the city during the 80 Years War. It was finally granted city rights in 1806. It does not have an old Hague district like the nearby towns, but it expanded greatly after the mid-19th century, and its older structures today date back to the 19th and early 20th century.

The city suffered a disastrous fate in WWII. Its famous Bezuidenhout was bombed in 1945. The attack was unintentional, but it claimed more than 500 innocent lives. The Hague was rapidly rebuilt in the wake of the war. In 1970 it had even more inhabitants than it does today. During the last decade the city gradually began to incorporate large parts of nearby towns, where construction of new residential quarters has commenced.

The Hague consists of two separate beach towns. Scheveningen is the chief holiday resort and a prime tourist destination, enjoying the presence of over 10 million leisure travellers per year. Some even believe it to be a town on its own. This is not so from an administrative point of view - the resort is one of eight Hague provinces. It incorporates Duinoord, Statenkwartier, and Belgisch Park. The other provinces are Segbroek, Laak, Escamp, Haagse Hout, Loosduinene, Leidschenveen-Ypenburg and the city centre. The second beach town is Kijkduin. It is more popular among locals. The Hague was established as the city of justice and peace more than a century ago. It was the site of the Peace Conference in 1899, the first of its kind in the world. The second one took place eight years later. These conventions led to the establishment of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The Iran US Claims Tribunal is also headquartered in The Hague. It was founded in 1981.

The Hague is a city of extremes in that you will find some of the wealthiest and poorest areas in Holland here. This distinction is marked by local language variety. Richer residents speak bekakt, and poorer ones speak plat Haags, two very different dialects.

The Hague is also a major executive centre. Some major international corporations have head offices here, among which Royal Dutch Shell, KPN, AEGON and Royal TPG Post.

Famous galleries and cultural attractions in The Hague include miniature town Madurodam, Mauritshuis Museum, which displays a remarkable art collection featuring works by Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt van Rijn, the Royal Theatre and the Escher Museum, standing inside the former Royal Palace.

Individuals of international fame were born and bred here. Many historical members of the Dutch royal family are among them, like King William I, King William II, Queen Wilhelmina and Queen Juliana.

Last but not least, The Hague is a suitable destination for all those who appreciate beautiful natural surroundings. It is known as Holland's greenest city with some of the most remarkable parks and gardens in the world. Westbroek Park, Zuider Park, Madestein Botanical Park, Heimanshof and the Japanese Garden are some of the best natural attractions in the city.