The Hague - Peace Palace Library Vredespaleis

Must-see attractions nearby: Mauritshuis Knights' Hall Binnenhof Peace Palace Library Hofvijver Mesdag Panorama Grote Kerk or St Jacobskerk

Housed in the building are the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Academy of International Law and a library of international law which until 1955 was the best in the world. Countries from all over the world contributed to the rich decoration of the interior. The marble for the lobbies and the grand staircase came from Italy, the wood for the paneling from Brazil and the United States, the ornamental iron railings surrounding the grounds from Germany. The windows on the ground floor are of Delft lead glass and the walls are clad with Delft tiles. The accumulation of all these various elements, fine though they are in themselves, sometimes produces a rather eclectic effect, as in the monumental entrance, almost Byzantine in style, with its large gold chandeliers, marble floor in rosette patterns and white marble staircase.