The Hague Attractions

From the Costume Museum in The Hague there is a charming view of the Hofvijver, the picturesque old palace lake, with the long range of buildings of the Binnenhof reflected in its water.

in The Hague, Opposite Spinoza House is an attractive group of almshouses, the Heilige Geesthofje (1616).

From the Grote Kerk Schoolstraat runs south to the Grote Markt. At the corner of Prinsegracht can be seen the Boterwaag (Butter Weigh House, 1681), long a center of Holland's prosperous butter and cheese trade. After many years of neglect the old building was restored in 1983 and now houses a charming little restaurant and a variety of cultural events (concerts, exhibitions, etc.).

In The Hague, on the other side of Johan de Wittlaan is Catshuis, the official residence of the prime minister, and north of this the Nederlands Congresgebouw (Congress Center, 1969).

From the Academy of Art in The Hague, the Herengracht and Korte Poten run west to the Plein. Continuing west from the southwest corner of the square are the Lange Poten and Spuistraat, which with Grote Marktstraat to the south constitute the city's main commercial and shopping quarter.

In The Hague, Kneuterdijk runs south into the Lange Vijverberg, at No. 14 of which is the Costume Museum, displayed in rooms furnished in period style.

Opposite the palace in The Hague is the rear front of the Council of State (Raad van State) building.

Drievliet is a large amusement park featuring many attractions, including the Pirates' swinging ship, roller coaster, wild water, ghost castle and many more.

One of the newest museums in The Netherlands, the Nederlands Kansspelmuseum displays the many characteristics of the lottery through the ages.

In The Hague at the west end of the Buitenhof lies Gravenstraat. On the left is a shopping arcade built in 1885 on the model of the famous Galleria Emanuele II in Milan. On the right is an elegant shop, La Bonneterie, with a beautiful glass dome.

To the north of the Grote Kerk, at Molenstraat 38, is a "hidden church" - one of the Roman Catholic churches in The Hague, with inconspicuous exteriors but richly furnished interiors, built during the period when Catholic worship was banned.

Beyond Noordeinde Palace, Heulstraat (on left) leads into Kneuterdijk. In this street is the former royal palace of Kneuterdijk, which dates in its present form from the 18th century. Here Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, Grand Pensionary, spent the last years of his life.

Anna Paulownastraat runs north into the Laan van Meerdervoort, at No. 7F of which is the Mesdag Museum (Rijksmuseum H. W. Mesdag ), with a fine collection of paintings presented to the nation in 1903 by the painter Hendrik Willem Mesdag (1831-1915), consisting mainly of works of the French Barbizon School (Corot, Théodore Rousseau, Millet, Daubigny, Delacroix) - the most important collection of this school in the Netherlands - and the Hague School (Jacobus Maris, G. H. Breitner, Jozef Israëls). There is also a collection of porcelain from the Oud Rozenburg factory in The Hague.

Museum Bredius in The Hague containsA collection of 17th C. paintings by Rembrandt, Jan Steen, Cuyp and Van Ostade.

Near the central Station is the Royal Library, a massive modern building (completed 1982) housing one of the largest libraries in the Netherlands.

Close by Central Station stands the National Literary Museum and Archive (Nederlands Letterkundig Museum), with a display of the works of 188 Dutch authors from 1750 to the present day, including Betje Wolff, Jan Wolkers, Herman Gorter, Willem Kloos, Menno ter Braak and Simon Vestdijk. In the museum archives articles, etc., about these authors can be consulted.

In The Hague, from the end of Lange Poten the Spui leads south to the Nieuwe Kerk (17th C.), in which the De Witt brothers and Spinoza are buried.

Prinsestraat leads north to Prinsessewal and the Paleistuin (Palace Garden), the gardens, now open to the public, of the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague.

Gravenstraat joins the Dagelijkse Groenmarkt, in which stands The Hague's Old Town Hall, one of the earliest Renaissance buildings of any size in the northern provinces, built in 1564 on the model of Antwerp Town Hall. The newer part, in Louis XIV style, was built in 1734. The building was further extended in 1883; but thereafter it was decided that a new Town Hall was needed.

The Omniversum in The Hague features an Evans & Sutherland Digistar which was installed in 1985. Its dome measures 23.2 m, with a 27 deg tilt. OMNIMAX presentations and star shows are offered.

In the center of the Plein, the square to the east of the Binnenhof in The Hague's Royal City Center, is a bronze statue of William the Silent. Until a few years ago the Ministry of the Interior, the Supreme Court (Hoge Raad) and the Ministry of Justice were on the west side of the square, the Ministry of Defense on the south side and the Foreign Ministry on the east side, but most of these have now moved to new premises. The buildings on the west side are being converted for use by members of Parliament.

Near the Postal Musuem is Plein 1813, in the center of which stands a monument (by W. C. van Waaijen-Pietersen and Koelman, 1869) commemorating the recovery of Dutch independence in November 1813.

Toward the southeast end of Prinsessegracht in the direction of the Central Station are the Portuguese Jewish Synagogue, the Ministry of Finance and the Academy of Art (Academie van Beeldende Kunsten).

In The Hague, to the north of the Provinciehuis, Nassau-Dillenburgstraat 8 houses the Puppet Museum (Museum voor het Poppenspeel), with a collection of some 1,000 dolls and puppets up to 200 years old. Since 1980 the museum has belonged to the Dutch Theatrical Institute in Amsterdam.

At Zeestraat 71 in The Hague is the Royal Coin Cabinet, with a large collection of coins, medals and cameos.

At the far end of Prinsessewal is Hogewal in The Hague, in which are the Royal Stables (Koninklijke Stallen). Most of the building is now occupied by a garage and workshops.

South of the Boterwaag stands the Spinoza House, now a museum, in which the philosopher Baruch Spinoza (1632-77) lived from 1671 until his death and where he completed his "Ethics"; to see the house, make an appointment by telephone. At the south end of Paviljoensgracht is a statue of Spinoza (1880).

The Steam Group West Zuiderpark in The Hague is an ideal attraction for both young and old. Visitors can ride on to scale diesel engines that run along a 1.5km track.

Going north between the Royal Palace and the Hotel des Indes into Dennenweg and then turning right into Hooistraat and its continuation, Houtweg, we come to the Prinsessegracht. In Koningskade (Nos. 1-2), which runs parallel to Prinsessegracht on the east, is the modern Provinciehuis, the seat of the provincial government of Zuid-Holland.