   #copyright

The Hague

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: European Geography

   Coordinates: 52.08° N 4.30° E
   's-Gravenhage

   Flag of 's-Gravenhage Coat of arms of 's-Gravenhage
   Flag                  Coat of Arms

   Location municipality 's-Gravenhage
   Country           Netherlands
   Province          South Holland
   Coordinates       52.08° N 4.30° E
   Area              98.22 km²
   - Land            82.68 km²
   - Water           15.54 km²
   Population (2005) 472,087
   - Density         5710 /km²

   The Hague (with capital T; Dutch: originally 's-Gravenhage, officially
   Den Haag) is the third-largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam
   and Rotterdam, with a population of 472,087 ( January 1 2005)
   (population of agglomeration: 600,000) and an area of approximately 100
   km². It is located in the west of the country, in the province South
   Holland, of which it is also the provincial capital.

   The Hague is the actual seat of government, but, somewhat anomalously,
   not the official capital of the Netherlands, a role set aside by the
   Dutch constitution for Amsterdam. The Hague is the home of the Eerste
   Kamer (first chamber) or Senaat and the Tweede Kamer (second chamber),
   respectively the upper and lower houses forming the " Staten Generaal"
   (literally the "Estates-General"). Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
   lives and works in The Hague. All foreign embassies and government
   ministries are located in the city, as well as the Hoge Raad der
   Nederlanden (The Supreme Court), the Raad van State (Council of State)
   and many lobbying organisations.

History

   Binnenhof and the Knight's Hall, the political centre of the
   Netherlands
   Enlarge
   Binnenhof and the Knight's Hall, the political centre of the
   Netherlands

   The Hague was founded in 1248 by William II, Count of Holland and King
   of Germany, who was supposed to become Holy Roman Emperor. He started
   the construction of a castle in a forest near the sea in Holland, where
   he intended to live after his coronation. He died in battle before he
   could be crowned. His castle was not finished, but parts of it remain
   and are now called the Ridderzaal (Knights' Hall). It is still in use
   for political events, such as the annual speech from the throne by the
   monarch.

   Later, the counts of Holland used The Hague as their administrative
   centre. 'Des Graven Hage' literally means "the count's hedge" or "the
   count's private enclosure". The powerful cities of Holland, like
   Leiden, Delft, and Dordrecht, struck a compromise to choose the then
   small and unimportant The Hague as their administrative centre. This
   policy was never changed, and The Hague is to this day the centre of
   government but not the official capital.

   To keep The Hague small it wasn't allowed city rights or allowed to
   build city walls. When city walls were finally allowed in the 1500s,
   the population decided to use the money to build a city hall instead of
   city walls. This proved disastrous during the Eighty Years' War, as it
   allowed Spanish troops easily to occupy the town.

   The Hague was finally named a city by the French occupation force in
   1806, centuries after other Dutch cities had received similar rights.
   All this has led to the urban legend that The Hague is not a city but a
   village.

   Because of its history, it lacks a large historical inner city like the
   nearby cities of Leiden and Delft. But when the government started
   playing a more prominent role in Dutch society after 1850, The Hague
   quickly expanded. The older parts of the city are therefore mostly from
   the 19^th century and the early 20^th century. The growing city annexed
   the municipality of Loosduinen partly in 1903 and completely in 1923.

   Parts of the city sustained heavy damage during World War II. The
   Atlantic Wall was built through part of the city, causing whole
   neighbourhoods to be torn down by the German occupiers. On March 3,
   1945, Royal Air Force mistakenly bombed the Bezuidenhout district. The
   target was an installation of V-2 rockets in a nearby park. Due to
   navigational errors, the bombs fell on a heavily populated and historic
   part of the city. Over 500 people died and the scars in the city can
   still be seen today.

   After the war The Hague was at one point the largest building site in
   Europe. The city expanded massively to the southwest. The destroyed
   areas were also quickly rebuilt. The population peaked at 600,000
   inhabitants around 1965.

   In the 1970s and 1980s the mostly white middle classes moved to
   neighbouring towns like Voorburg, Leidschendam, Rijswijk and most of
   all Zoetermeer. This led to the traditional pattern of an impoverished
   inner city and more prosperous suburbs. Attempts to include parts of
   the suburbs in The Hague were highly controversial. In the 1990s, with
   the consent of the Dutch Parliament, The Hague did succeed in annexing
   fairly large areas from its neighbouring towns on which complete new
   residential areas were built and are still being built.

   The stork is the symbol of Den Haag.

The city

   Hofvijver and the buildings of the Dutch parliament
   Enlarge
   Hofvijver and the buildings of the Dutch parliament
   View of the 'Hoftoren' (left) and The Dutch Ministry of Public Health
   (right)
   Enlarge
   View of the ' Hoftoren' (left) and The Dutch Ministry of Public Health
   (right)
   The Hague City Hall, 1995, architect Richard Meier
   Enlarge
   The Hague City Hall, 1995, architect Richard Meier

   City life concentrates around the Hofvijver and the Binnenhof, which is
   where the Parliament is located.

   The city lacks a large student culture because it has no university,
   but there is a school of higher professional education known as Haagse
   hogeschool which is sometimes known as The Hague University. The city
   has many civil servants and diplomats (see below). In fact, the number
   and variety of foreign residents (especially the expatriates) makes the
   city culturally quite diverse, with many foreign pubs, shops and
   cultural events.

   The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea and comprises two
   distinct beach towns. The main beach resort Scheveningen, in the
   northwestern part of the city, is a popular destination for tourists
   and young people. With 10 million visitors a year it is the most
   popular beach town in the Benelux. It's perhaps for this reason that
   many, even some Dutch people, mistakenly believe Scheveningen is a city
   in its own right. That is not the case: Scheveningen is one of The
   Hague's eight districts ("stadsdelen"). Kijkduin, in the southwest, is
   The Hague's other beach resort. It is a lot smaller and attracts mainly
   local people.

   The former Dutch colony of Netherlands East Indies ("Nederlands-Indië",
   current-day Indonesia) has left its mark on The Hague. Many streets are
   named after places in the Netherlands East Indies and there is a
   sizable "Indisch(e)" or " Indo" (i.e. mixed Dutch-Indonesian)
   community. Since the loss of these Dutch possessions in December 1949,
   "Indisch(e)" or "Indo" people often refer to The Hague as "the Widow of
   the Indies".

   The older parts of the town usually have characteristically wide and
   long streets. Houses are generally low-rise (not more than three
   floors), and quite elegant. The layout of the city is more spacious
   than other Dutch cities. There are only a few canals in The Hague, as
   most of them were drained in the late 1800s.

   Some of the most prosperous and some of the poorest neighbourhoods of
   the Netherlands can be found in The Hague. The wealthier areas (The
   Vogelwijk, Statenkwartier, Belgisch Park and Benoordenhout) are
   generally located in the northwest part of the city. The poorer areas
   (Transvaal, Moerwijk, the Schilderswijk) can be found in the southern
   and eastern areas. This division is reflected in the local accent: The
   more affluent citizens are usually called "Hagenaars" and speak
   so-called "bekakt Haags" ("Bekakt" is Dutch for "stuck-up"). This
   contrasts with the "Hagenezen", who speak "plat Haags" ("plat" meaning
   "flat" or "common"). There is relatively little social interaction
   between these groups.

   The tallest building is the Hoftoren (see image).

Geography

   Enlarge

   The Hague has eight official districts (stadsdeel). They are divided
   into smaller parts (wijken) . See Districts of The Hague for a detailed
   breakdown.
     * The Hague Centre
     * Escamp
     * Haagse Hout
     * Laak
     * Leidschenveen-Ypenburg
     * Loosduinen
     * Scheveningen
     * Segbroek

International Organisations

   As a result of its rich legacy in international politics, The Hague is
   home to over 150 international (legal) organisations. These include the
   Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of
   Justice.

   The foundation of The Hague as an "international city of peace and
   justice" was laid over a hundred years ago in 1899, when the world's
   first Peace Conference took place in The Hague, followed by a second in
   1907. A direct result of these meetings was the establishment of the
   world's first organisation for the settlement of international
   disputes: the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). Shortly thereafter
   the Scottish-American millionare Andrew Carnegie made the necessary
   funds available to build the Peace Palace (“Vredespaleis”) to house the
   PCA.

   After the establishment of the League of Nations, The Hague became the
   seat of the Permanent Court of International Justice, which was
   replaced by the UN's International Court of Justice after the Second
   World War. The establishment of the Iran-US Claims Tribunal (1981), the
   ICTY (1993) and the ICC (2002) in the city further consolidated the
   role of The Hague as a centre for international legal arbitration.

   Currently the city authority is seeking to establish an image of the
   city as the "legal capital of the world" and "international city of
   peace and justice".

   Major international organisations based in The Hague include:
     * International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, ( ICTY)
     * Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, (OPCW)
     * International Court of Justice, located in the Peace Palace.
     * International Criminal Court, (ICC).
     * European Police Office, (Europol)
     * Hague Academy of International Law, centre for high-level education
       in both public and private international law.
     * Permanent Court of Arbitration, the oldest institution for
       international dispute resolution.
     * Iran-United States Claims Tribunal
     * Eurojust, European Union body composed of national prosecutors.
     * Carnegie Foundation

Culture

   The Hague has its share of museums and cultural institutions:
     * " Madurodam" is a miniature city, containing hundreds of
       scale-models of Dutch landmarks in a typically Dutch miniature
       landscape.

     * The " Mauritshuis" exhibits many paintings by Dutch masters, such
       as Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt van Rijn and Paulus Potter.

     * The " Escher Museum" is located in the former Royal Palace on the
       Lange Voorhout.

     * The " Haags Historisch museum" showcases the history of the city
       from the Middle Ages to the present day.

     * The " Museum Bredius" houses part of the collection of 19^th
       century art historian Abraham Bredius, containing antique
       furniture, silverware and porcelain.

     * Museum " de Gevangenpoort" (lit. the "Prison Gate") is a former
       prison housed in a 15^th century gatehouse, with genuine mediaeval
       dungeons and torture chambers.

     * The " Gemeentemuseum" (Municipal museum) is home to the world’s
       largest collection of works by the Dutch painter Piet Mondriaan as
       well as other modern art.

     * The Museon is an interactive and historical science museum.

     * The Omniversum is Europe’s first 360° IMAX-cinema.

     * Panorama Mesdag houses a cylindrical 360° " panoramic" painting, 14
       meters high by 120 meters long, depicting the sea-front at
       Scheveningen in the late 19^th century, made by Hendrik Willem
       Mesdag. It is presented in such a way that it is almost as if one
       is looking at a real scene rather than a painting.

     * The " Museum voor Communicatie" (formerly the "PTT Museum") is the
       national postal museum and houses interactive exhibits as well as
       one of the country’s best collections of stamps.

     * The " Louis Couperus Museum" is devoted to the life and works of
       the great author (1863-1923).

     * The museum " Beelden aan Zee" in Scheveningen has a large
       collection of sculptures, mainly from 20^th century artists.

     * The "Koninklijke Schouwburg" ("Royal Theatre"), located on the
       Korte Voorhout, is the home of the "Nationaal Toneel" ("National
       theatre-group").

     * The Lucent Danstheater is home to the internationally celebrated
       Nederlands Dans Theatre, a modern dance company. The building was
       designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas in 1988. It shares a
       lobby with the Anton Philipszaal, home of the Residentie Orkest,
       the city's most important symphony orchestra.

   Other tourist attractions and landmarks in The Hague include:
     * The historic Binnenhof ("Inner Court") and Medieaval Ridderzaal
       ("Knights’ Hall"), which now contains the Houses of Parliament and
       government offices. A good view can be obtained from the leafy
       Lange Vijverberg on the other side if the adjacent lake called the
       "Hofvijver" (lit. "Court Pond").

     * The Lange Voorhout is a wide avenue containing many splendid houses
       (now home to several embassies) as well as The Hague's oldest and
       narrowest house and the famous "Hotel des Indes", the city’s most
       luxurious hotel.

     * The "Passage" was The Netherlands' first covered shopping mall.
       Dating from the late 19^th century. it contains many expensive and
       speciality shops.

     * The "Paleis Noordeinde" is Queen Beatrix’ official work-palace. It
       is closed to the public but the Palace Gardens ("Paleistuin") forms
       an oasis of calm in the city.

     * The Clingendael Park is an old landed estate with a famous Japanese
       Garden. Nearby one can also find the home of the Clingendael
       Institute of International Relations.

     * Queen Beatrix’ residential Palace, "Paleis Huis ten Bosch", can be
       found a little outside the city in the "Haagse Bosch" forest.

   The Hague does not have a reputation for a bustling night life, most
   probably because it has no university and thus little student life.
   What night life there is centres around the three main squares in the
   city centre: "Het Plein" (literally "The Square"), the Grote Markt
   (literally "Large Market") and the "Buitenhof" (literally the "Outer
   Court", which lies just outside the Binnenhof). The Buitenhof contains
   the popular Pathé Buitenhof cinema and a handful of bars and
   restaurants in the immediate vicinity. A similar pattern of night life
   centers on the cinema in Scheveningen, although, especially in summer,
   night-life concentrates around the sea-front boulevard with its bars,
   restaurants, gambling halls and other entertainment.

Sport

   The local football club is called ADO Den Haag. They have played in the
   Eredivisie (the top division in Holland) since 2003.

   The local rugby club is Haagsche Rugby Club (a.k.a. HRC) and has been
   in the Guinness book of records for becoming Dutch champion so often
   (in adult and youth).

   The local American football club is Den Hague Raiders 99 and have
   climbed up from last to first class of Holland in very little time.

   Cricket is surprisingly popular in The Hague, with a number of strong
   teams from the Dutch league located there. One club particularly
   popular with the large expat community is De Kieviten (The Lapwing),
   located in Wassenaar, just outside The Hague.

Annual events

     * January: The Hague International Model United Nations ( THIMUN) is
       the oldest and largest high school United Nations simulation in the
       world.
     * 29 April: " Koninginnenach" ("Queen's Night", pronounced with a
       "plat Haags" accent) is held the night before " Koninginnedag";
       there are several open air concerts in the city and young people
       flock from all over the country to drink and party.
     * 30 April: " Koninginnedag" ("Queen's Day") is a Dutch national
       holiday held on the birthday of former Queen Juliana. On this day
       the colour orange predominates at a funfair (which sells orange
       cotton candy) and scores of informal street markets. The day is a
       "vrijmarkt" (literally "free market"), which means no license is
       needed for streetvending; children traditionally use this day to
       sell old unwanted toys.
     * May & June: The Pasar Malam Besar is one of the largest Eurasian
       cultural festivals in Europe. It focuses on Indonesian culture.
     * The last Sunday in June: Parkpop is the largest free open air pop
       concert in Europe.
     * July & August: The city hosts a series of weekly firework displays
       by the seafront in Scheveningen, as part of an international
       fireworks festival and competition.
     * August: Ha-Schi-Ba (Haagse Schilderswijk Bazar) is multicultural
       festival held in the Schilderswijk attracting over 100000 visitors.
     * The third Tuesday in September: " Prinsjesdag" (literally "Princes'
       Day") is the Dutch State Opening of Parliament when the Queen reads
       the "speech from the throne" ("Troonrede"). The day is popular
       among monarchists and tourists who are out to see Queen Beatrix and
       the royal family in the Golden State Coach ("de Gouden Koets").

Transportation

   Public transportation in The Hague consists of a sizeable number of
   tram and bus routes, operated by HTM Personenvervoer. Plans for a
   subway were shelved in the early 1970s. However, in 2004 a tunnel was
   built under the city centre with two underground tram stations ("Spui"
   and "Grote Markt"); it is shared by tram routes 2, 4 and 6.

   A regional light rail system called Randstadrail connects The Hague to
   the suburbs, Zoetermeer and Rotterdam.

   There are two main train stations in The Hague: Den Haag Hollands Spoor
   (HS) and Den Haag Centraal. It is somewhat confusing that many trains
   bypass the central station because it is a terminus. For instance, the
   international Thalys and Benelux trains to Paris and Brussels only stop
   at Hollands Spoor. The central station does, however, offer good
   connections with the rest of the country, with direct services to most
   major cities. With the inception of the Dutch High Speed Line (
   HSL-Zuid) in 2008/9, high speed trains will run from the central
   station to Breda, Antwerp and Brussels; Hollands Spoor station,
   however, will lose its direct connection with Paris and hourly service
   to Brussels.

   The nearest airport to The Hague is Rotterdam Airport. It is, however,
   not easily reachable by public transport. With four direct trains per
   hour from Hollands Spoor or Centraal, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is
   more frequently used by people travelling to and from The Hague by
   airplane.

   Major motorways (freeways) connecting to The Hague include the A12 (the
   first motorway in The Netherlands), running to Utrecht and the German
   border. The A12 runs directly into the heart of the city in a cutting.
   Built in the 1970s, this section of motorway (the "Utrechtse Baan") is
   now heavily overburdened. Plans were made in the late 1990s for a
   second artery road into the city (the "Trekvliettracé") have
   continually been put on hold. Other connecting motorways are the A4,
   which connects the city with Amsterdam, and the A13, which runs to
   Rotterdam and connects to motorways towards the Belgian border.

Population

   1796: 41,300 inhabitants
   1830: 56,100
   1849: 63,600
   1879: 113,500
   1899: 206,000
   1925: 394,500
   1969: 563.600
   1970: 550,000
   1990: 441,327
   2000: 441,097
   2004: 469,568

Nearby towns

     * Delft
     * Leiden
     * Rijswijk
     * Voorschoten
     * Wassenaar
     * Wateringen
     * Zoetermeer
     * Leidschendam
     * Voorburg
     * Rotterdam

   Warsaw and Juigalpa are sister cities to The Hague.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hague"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
