The Hague

The Hague, also called as Den haag in Dutch, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam, with a metropolitan population of more than 0.7 million. And the Hague is a city on the western coast of the Netherlands and the capital of the province of South Holland.

The Hague is the seat of the States General, the Supreme Court, and the Council of State. Most foreign embassies in the Netherlands and 150 international organizations are located in the city, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, which makes The Hague one of the major cities hosting the United Nations.

There are several palaces in The Hague and ‘Paleis Noordeinde’ (Noordeinde Palace) is one of them. It has been a palace of the Royal House since 1609 when the state presented it to William of Orange’s widow as a gift. Today, the Dutch monarch uses it as a working palace.

The Hague boasts an impressive 11 kilometers of coastline, and one notable feature of this seaside town near the Hague is the gigantic pier that juts into the North Sea from the boulevard. With its long history, the pier has become part of the beach view at Scheveningen.

Especially, the Hague has great tourists resources concerned with history, humanity and art. The 17th century Mauritshuis, which originally served as a residence and hotel for high-placed guests, is located in the city center of The Hague. Today the building houses the top museum for 17th and 18th century art. Its collection includes some 800 works by a variety of artists. Examples are Girl with the Pearl Earring by Vermeer, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp by Rembrandt, and The Goldfinch by Fabritius.