The+Hague

=The Hague =

The Hague-Netherlands
The Hague is the seat of government in Netherlands. The Dutch government and Parliament, the supreme court, and the council of state can be found there. Foreign embassies, international organizations, the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court are all located in The Hague as well. The city also hosts the United Nations at times and is the capital city of the province South Holland. The city is located on the North Sea Northwest of Rotterdam and Southwest of Amsterdam and is the 3rd largest city in The Netherlands following Amsterdam and Rotterdam with a population of 515,880. The city originated around 1230, bought by Count Floris IV of Holland. In 1248 William II, King of the Romans started building the Palace of Binnenhof. Sadly he died before it was completed, but his son Floris V continued construction and finished Ridderzaal, or Knights’ Hall, which is still used for political events today. From the 13th century and on, the counts of Holland used The Hague as an administrative centre and residence when in Holland. During the Eighty Years’ War there were no city walls which ended in disaster because it allowed Spanish troops to occupy the town. In 1575 the States of Holland considered demolishing the city because of this, but that idea was soon abandoned.

From 1588 The Hague became the seat of government for the Dutch Republic and in 1806 it became an official city of Holland. The Hague quickly expanded after 1850 when the government started to play role in Dutch society. Streets were specifically built for the large number of civil servants employed in the country’s government.

Heavy damage was done to the city during WWII. Many Jews in the city were captured and killed by the Nazis. The Atlantic Wall was built through the city but large quarters were torn down by the Nazis. The Bezuidenhout quarter of the city, a heavily populated and very historic part of the city, was mistakenly bombed by the Royal Air Force in 1945. This sector of the city was highly damaged with about 511 fatalities. After the war, The Hague at one point was the largest building site in Europe as it quickly repaired the damaged parts of the city. The city expanded massively to the Southwest as well at this time of rebuilding.

Today the city concentrates around Hofvijver and Binnenhof, where Parliament is located. The inner city is not cramped like most cities in The Netherlands, with its wide streets. The city holds a large church dating from the 15th century, City Hall from the 16th century, 17th century palaces, a 17th century Protestant church, and many important 18th century buildings. Also, with the city being on a coast, today there are two beach resorts. The culture is very diverse with many foreign pubs, shops, and cultural events.