Den Haag - Excursions and Informations

Den Haag (The Hague) is a city and community in the west of the Netherlands, 50 km from Amsterdam, on the shores of the North Sea, the seat of the Dutch government and parliament, the capital of southern Holland and the seat of the royal court. Today it is an important political administrative center of the Netherlands and all of Europe. The Hague is home to major international legal bodies: the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Arbitration and others.

 

 

The center of The Hague is an amazing mix of different styles of architecture, which successfully combine modern high-tech with classic buildings from different historical eras. All sights are conveniently concentrated in the center, and you don't have to use public transport and walk around the whole center on foot. The city is rightfully considered an open-air museum, and the works of many recognized masters of the Dutch school of painting are exhibited in local galleries.

 

City Tour of the Hague

Den Haag. Netherlands.

 

In The Hague, you can find entertainment for almost every taste. There are many restaurants, bars, first-class shopping malls, casinos and beaches. Any tours to Holland include a visit to this most beautiful city in Europe, where the historical heritage and the coastal resort area are successfully combined. True connoisseurs of nature can take a walk in the area on foot or on horseback.

 

The main areas of the Hague

• Historical Center
• Scheveningen, which deserves special attention. It is a beach resort, although the North Sea is colder than the Mediterranean. There is an excellent infrastructure for recreation; the center of Amsterdam can be reached by tram in just 20 minutes.

 

 

From the history of the Hague

The Hague was founded in 1230 as the hunting residence of the Dutch Count Floris IV. This count built a small castle here, on the site of which the Binnenhof is now located. By the 14th century, The Hague had become a fairly large settlement, but it never received city rights. By the 17th century, the settlement had several tens of thousands of inhabitants and was the third largest in the Netherlands, but it remained a village. The Hague received city rights only in 1806. In the 19th century, the city grew and developed rapidly, remaining one of the largest and most important in the Netherlands.

 

 

Топ 5 Attractions of The Hague:

 

1. Binnenhof Castle

The magnificent historical architectural complex, located not far from the famous "Hofviiver", now serves as a parliament building. The Binnenhof is located around a central courtyard that was once used for executions.

The history of its medieval ceremonial Knights' Hall ("Ridderzaal") dates back to the 13th century. The north wing of the 17th century building still houses the Upper House of the Dutch Parliament, but its Lower House gathers in the more modern eastern part of the ensemble.

 

2. Museum Mauritshuis

If you don't know what to see first in The Hague, visit the marvelous Mauritshuis Museum, which will give you a comprehensive insight into textbook Dutch and Flemish art. It is located in a 17th century mansion built by Johan Mauritz, a wealthy sugar merchant. In 1822, this house became the "Museum of the Royal Collection of Paintings", and the restoration of 2012-2014 made it one of the most popular places in The Hague.

The collection of 800 paintings is represented by world famous works of artists created by them between the 15th and 18th centuries. It includes such masterpieces as "The Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Jan Vermeer (1665) and "Anatomy Lesson by Dr. Nicholas Tulp" by Rembrandt (1632).

In addition to works by Vermeer and Rembrandt, the museum exhibits numerous works by Anthony van Dyck, Rubens, Jan Brueghel I, Hans Holbein II, Hals and Steen. Don't miss Van der Weyden's Lamentation for Christ (1460-1464) and Fabritius's Goldfinch (1654). Admire the famous landscape of the Golden Age of Dutch painting, View of Delft by Vermeer (1660-1661).

 

3. Panorama of Mesdakh

"Panorama of Mesdakh" is a giant painting measuring 120 x 14 meters, which was painted by H.V. Mesdahom and his wife Sentier Mesdah-Van Houten in collaboration with other artists of the Hague School. Due to the incredible size of the work, it was housed in a circular building specially built for it.

This impressive panorama depicts the Scheveningen coastal region dating back to 1880, with enchanting views of the sea, beach and dunes. This is the world's largest cylindrical 3D illusion painting.

The panorama is artfully illuminated from above, and the tall sand dunes, coupled with many real objects, create the illusion that you are inside this wonderful landscape. In addition to Panorama, the museum contains a part of the paintings of the Mesdahs. The second part of Mesdakh's works is collected in another museum dedicated to this artist and his associates.

 

4. Парк Madurodam park

Miniature Park Madurodam features miniature models of all major Dutch landmarks. Buildings, vehicles, people and other objects are recreated in 1:25 scale with incredible detail. The park was opened in 1952 and over the years has undergone several renovations and modernizations necessary to use new technologies. You can spend hours walking this magical world admiring the models of the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam), Binnenhof, Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam seaport, tulip fields and, of course, the famous Dutch windmills. Park "Madurodam" is equally entertaining for both adults and children: it is a place ideal for families.

 

5. Park "Huis ten Bosch" and Residence "Huis Ten Bosch"

Haagse Bos, which means The Hague Forest, is one of the most beautiful natural areas in The Hague. The two-kilometer space of the park is dotted with beautiful winding alleys where you can spend your free time for a long time.

This is not just a park, but one of the oldest forests in the country, which began to be protected from logging back in the Middle Ages. The most famous feature of the park is "Huis ten Bosch" or "House in the Forest". It is a moated palace that was built in 1646 as a royal country residence.

In 1899, the world's first International Peace Conference was held in this building. Now the family of King Willem-Alexander lives in it. Although the palace is closed to visitors, there is a beautiful view of this medieval castle from different points in the park. The Hague has another castle surrounded by greenery, the view of which is admired by many tourists.

This is the "Noordeinde" palace, the view of which opens from the fragrant "Palace Gardens", which are open for free visits. Walking through the incredibly beautiful park, you can enjoy the views of this palace and the "Royal Stables", which contained the horses used to transport the monarchs and their carriages.

 

Parade in The Hague Prinsjesdag - Prince's Day

Den Haag. Netherlands.

 

The Hague's Gastronomy

According to statistics, every year every inhabitant of The Hague eats 10 kg of mussels, and the amount of other seafood consumed cannot be counted at all. Among the everyday dishes, it is worth highlighting smoked eel, halibut and herring. Seafood is prepared here in a variety of ways: boiled, stewed, fried and processed into canned food. A very popular fish stew is usually served with boiled potatoes and poured with melted butter. The main side dish for baked fish is ordinary lettuce, but the menu of national restaurants also includes more original vegetable dishes. 

• Hoftrammm, Stationsplein 3, Tegenover Hotel Den Haag - Voorburg, The Hague, The Netherlands.

• Restaurant 6 & 24, Nobelstraat 13, 2513 BC, The Hague, The Netherlands.

• Restaurant Zheng HanTing Cuisine, Prinsestraat 33, 2513 CA, The Hague, The Netherlands.

 

Shopping in The Hague

• To begin with, you can highlight the so-called "shopping streets" of The Hague, walking along which you can definitely find a suitable store with the goods you are interested in.

• One of the most interesting streets in terms of shopping is probably Noordeinde en Hoogstraat, which amazes you with the number of shops not only with shoes or clothes, but cute traditional souvenirs, very beautiful china and so on. Although, in fairness, it should be noted that most of the shops here are again rather prim and not too cheap.

• In search of second-hand and stock stores, you can look at Piet Heinstraat and Zoutmanstraat. By the way, there are also quite a few antique shops and shops with delicacies from different countries (for example, there are Russian or Portuguese shops).

• Frederik Hendirklaan also has quite nice shops with traditional specialty shops (for example, cheese, bread or meat) and, of course, clothing boutiques. By the way, this street is usually referred to as the most popular and convenient for shopping.

 

In the center of The Hague, you can find many interesting boutiques or shopping centers, the main thing is not to be afraid to go in and watch, because something really interesting can be hidden behind a nondescript sign or seemingly unapproachable showcase. As for certain shopping centers or shops, I will single out a couple of the most popular among tourists and guests of the city.

This, of course, is the Haagsche Bloof (Dagelijkse Groenmarkt) shopping center, which is essentially a whole complex of buildings bounded by several streets, decorated in traditional Dutch style and offering its visitors a wide variety of goods at reasonable prices (although there are also quite expensive boutiques). In addition, there are also a couple of cafes where you can have a good snack or just sit with a cup of coffee, taking a breath and getting ready for the next visit to the boutiques. Free Wi-Fi is available in the shopping center.

Other advantages of this center include its convenient location (in the central part of the city, close to the main attractions, which makes visiting especially comfortable), good transport links, a fairly rich assortment in boutiques and departments, as well as an elegantly decorated patio, in where you can sit on a bench, watching passers-by and relaxing right in the fresh air.

The center works from 10.00 - 12.00 to 17.00 - 18.00, depending on the day of the week. The most convenient day for shopping in it will be Thursday, when the center closes only at 21.00.

 

More informations You can get at the Official site of The Hague.