The Hague Sights and Landmarks Guide, Netherlands
The Hague Sights – Political Sights
Although the best thing to see in The Hague are the people themselves and the buzzing life they lead which you can admire from a chic café in one of the many plazas in the city, The Hague also has many monuments and churches that date back to Medieval and Renascence times and are a delight for the eyes. As you’ll probably notice, most of The Hague sights have political connotations, but this doesn’t mean they are less valuable or less of a treat. They are mostly located in the city centre and easily accessible on foot.
The Plein is the biggest and most elegant square in the city and home to many government and political buildings. Politicians are known to have their coffee on one of the terraces in the square so don’t be surprised if the atmosphere tends to get more diplomatic, you’ll see that upon a cup of coffee even the most important politicians can become more casual. The Binnenhof, located just to the north of the Plein, has been the seat of the government since the 13th century and it formerly used to be a castle. The Paleis Noordeinde is Queen Beatrix’s home and office and is not open for visitation, but its beautiful 17th century façade can be admired from the street.
The Hague Sights – Art and Museums
One of the strangest art works available for visitation in The Hague is the Panorama Mesdag, a cylindrical painting dating from 1881 that measures 14 meters in height and 120 m in circumference and was painted by the famous Hendrik Willem Mesdag.
Escher in Het Paleis is a former royal house turned into a museum celebrating one of the most renowned Dutch artists, M.C. Escher. For a taste of medieval tortures take a full tour of the Museum de Gevangenpoort, a former 15th century prison where you can take a look at authentic torture instruments and get locked in the dark room. The Mauritshuis hosts some of the best known art pieces in town, among which some of Vermeer’s or Rembrandt’s. If you are more on the modern side, you should visit Gemeentenmuseum Den Haag, where you’ll see an impressive collection of Mondrian, Van Gogh, Kandinsky or Monet.
The Hague Sights – On the Green Side
As The Hague is known as a city greener than its bigger sisters Amsterdam or Rotterdam, the best way for you to take advantage of this is to go Dutch, rent a bicycle and take some tours of the city and its surroundings. You can pass through Park Clingendael, which hosts the oldest Japanese garden in Europe, or through the Westbroekpark which has over 20.000 different species of roses that bloom throughout the year. You can also have a bath in the sea in one of the North Sea coast resorts that are actually quarters of The Hague. These offer excellent beach services and lots of terraces and restaurants.
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The Hague, the netherlands
review by adam posted more then 30 days ago
The Hague, is the political capital of the Netherlands and because of it's status, the city is highly developed in every aspect. It is affluent, crowded and diverse. Important places to visit in The Hague is the Dutch Parlament, Noordeinde Palace, and Ridderzaal. Although the city is know for...
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