|
Although Amsterdam is Holland’s largest city and its official capital, Den
Haag on the North Sea is the seat of government and residence of Queen
Beatrix. More than 150 international organisations are based here, most
significant of which are the International Court of Justice and the
International Criminal Court. The Hague has a strong UN and NATO presence,
and has been an ‘international city of peace and justice’ since 1899. The
magnificent early 20th century Peace Palace was built in neo-renaissance
style by the French architect Cordonnier to house the Permanent Court of
Arbitration. In addition to the international courts it now also contains
the Peace Palace Library.
If you are interested in the
history of crime and punishment and have a strong constitution, there is the
Prison Gate Museum with a 700 year history of imprisonment and torture.
Children must be 9 and over to join the guided tour of the Jailer’s
Quarters, the Interrogation Room and the Judges’ Chambers. (At Buitenhof 33,
closed Mondays.)
The city of The Hague is small
enough to get around on foot, and most of the medieval, renaissance and
baroque architecture is in the centre. In the elegant square, ‘Plein’,
historic government buildings face bars and cafes with outdoor tables in
summer. The nearby Lange Voorhout, an attractive tree-lined square of grand
18th century townhouses, hosts the Hague Sculpture exhibition in the summer
months.
The Dutch Senate and House of
Representatives meet in The Binnenhof, a complex of buildings around a huge
courtyard. Some of the open spaces including the main square are open to the
public.
How could you come to Holland
without wanting to see some paintings by celebrated Dutch Masters? The Royal
Picture Gallery in the beautiful 17th century baroque palace of Mauritshuis
has some of the most famous, including Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’
and Rembrandt self-portraits. (Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11.00 to 17.00)
For a day of family fun,
Drievliet Amusement Park in Den Haag has attractions and rides for all ages
(open April to October). However many families head for the nearby resort of
Scheveningen, the most popular in the Netherlands, with its 3 km long sandy
beach and modern pier. In summer North Beach is very busy with water sports,
fishing and sunbathing; South Beach on the other side of the harbour is a
lot quieter. If the weather is not good enough for the beach, try the Sea
Life aquarium, where the latest attraction is ‘Monsters From The Deep’
(daily 10.00 till 17.00).
Nightlife in Scheveningen
offers clubs, restaurants and the Holland Casino, a live entertainment venue
and restaurant, as well as a gaming hall. Since the seaside resort is really
a suburb of The Hague, residents and visitors easily move between the two
for nights out. Den Haag itself has a number of theatres, with a few
nationally renowned companies based in the city.
|
