The Hague
Dutch 's-gravenhage, or Den Haag, French La Haye,
seat of government of The Netherlands and capital of the provincie of Zuid-Holland (South Holland). It is situated on a coastal plain 4 miles (6 km) from the North Sea. The Hague is the administrative capital of the nation and the home of the court and government, though Amsterdam is the official capital.
The city's name recalls the hunting lodge of the counts of Holland, which was located in a woodland area called Haghe, or “hedge? (whence 's-Gravenhage, “the counts' private enclosure?). Count William II built a castle there in 1248, around which several buildings—including the Knights' Hall (1280)—came to be clustered, and these became the principal residence of the counts of Holland. These buildings now form the Binnenhof (“Inner Courtyard?) in the old quarter of the city. About 1350 an artificial lake, the Hofvijver, was dug just to the north of the Binnenhof and still forms one of the many attractions of the city.
A commercial district grew up around the Binnenhof in the 13th and 14th centuries. In the 16th century Holland became the chief centre of Dutch resistance to Spanish Habsburg rule, and in 1559 William I, stadtholder of the Netherlands, made The Hague his capital. About 1585 the States-General, along with other bodies of the Dutch Republic's central government, established themselves in the Binnenhof. William's son, Prince Maurice of Orange, soon took up residence in The Hague, and at his initiative in 1616 a web of canals was constructed around the city that continued to define its borders to the mid-19th century.
In the 17th century, when the Dutch Republic played a leading role in Europe, The Hague became a centre of diplomatic negotiation. From 1795 to 1808 The Hague served as the capital of the French-controlled republic of Holland, and with liberation from the French the city alternated with Brussels as the meeting place of the States-General from 1815 to 1830. After 1850, when the revenues from the Dutch East Indies started to pour in, the city prospered. As a result of the Hague Peace Conferences held in 1899 and 1907, The Hague became a permanent centre of international law. After a long sojourn in Amsterdam, the Dutch central government returned to The Hague in 1913. The city grew rapidly in the 20th century, and new districts linked it with the popular sea resort of Scheveningen, Rijswijk, Voorburg, and other adjoining municipalities.
There is little heavy industry in The Hague, which is basically a centre of government and corporate administration. The States-General (Parliament) meets in the Knights' Hall, and government departments and foreign embassies occupy other buildings in the old quarter of the city. Most of the city's business firms are engaged in trade, banking, insurance, or other services. Several large oil companies also have their international headquarters in the city. The Hague is also a leading centre of international conferences. The city's industries include printing and publishing, electronics, food processing, and the production of ceramics, furniture, glass, and various luxury consumer items.
The Binnenhof is surrounded by buildings dating from the 15th to the 18th century. Among these historic landmarks are the Great Church of St. Jacobs (1399), which has the largest carillon in The Netherlands; the Protestant New Church (1654); the royal palace on the Noordeinde (16th century), which now houses the International Institute for Social Studies; the royal palace known as the Huis ten Bosch (1640); and the old Renaissance-style town hall (1564), which was subsequently enlarged several times. To the north, the United Nations' International Court of Justice is housed in the Peace Palace, an imposing building that was completed in 1913 with an endowment from the American industrialist Andrew Carnegie. Among the city's more striking modern buildings are the headquarters of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group (1941), the KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) building (1949), and the United States Embassy (1959).
The numerous museums in the city comprise a wide range of collections. The Royal Picture Gallery housed in the famous building known as the Mauritshuis (1633–44) has a remarkable collection of the works of the Dutch masters: Rembrandt, Jan Vermeer, Jan Steen, and others. The Bredius Museum also has a fine collection of old paintings, while the Kröller-Müller Museum has works by Vincent van Gogh and other modern masters. Other notable museums are The Netherlands Costume Museum, the Mesdag Museum, the Mesdag Panorama, the Coin and Medal Cabinet, and the Postal Museum. The Royal Library has the most important collection of old books and manuscripts in the country. There are several art academies, and musical life is dominated by The Hague Philharmonic orchestra. The city also has some notable parks and recreation grounds. It has excellent road and rail connections with Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and Utrecht. Pop. (1993 est.) city, 444,661; metropolitan area, 694,319.
Copyright © 1994-2002 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Sources
- Encylopedia Britannica 2002, Expanded Edition DVD
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