Page 226 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

224  WESTERN NE THERLANDS

Exploring The Hague through the Ridderzaal and
deb ating chambers of the
The Hague has numerous attractions and museums, of which Upper or Lower House.
the Mauritshuis (see pp226–7) and the Gemeentemuseum
(municipal museum) (see p228) are the most famous. There E Museum De
are many bookshops, antique shops and cafés on and around Gevangenpoort
Buitenhof 33. Tel 070-3460861.
the Denneweg, which comes out onto the Lange Voorhout, @ v Open 10am–5pm Tue–Fri,
as well as luxury boutiques on the promenade beginning at noon–5pm Sat & Sun. Closed 1 Jan,
Paleis Noordeinde. Behind the Mauritskade lies the stately 25 Dec. & 8 obligatory; last guided
late-19th-century Willemspark, which is still almost tour 3:45pm. ∑ gevangenpoort.nl
completely intact, with the Panorama Mesdag (see p228). The prison-gate museum, in
a 14th-century gatehouse,
You can admire the peaceful Japanese garden in Park contains an old prison still
Clingendael (see p228). The old fishing village of largely in its original state.
Scheveningen has expanded to become a lively seaside Cornelis de Witt was kept here
resort, but the dunes all around still offer peace and quiet. on suspicion of conspiracy
against Prince Maurice. In 1672,
as he and his brother Johan left
P Binnenhof met Ridderzaal Spanish rule in 1581 with the the prison, they were murdered
Binnenhof. Tel 070-7570200. @ v Plakkaat van Verlatinge (“Decree by a provok ed mob. The museum
Open for guided tours only. Closed of Abandonment”); they held has a unique collec tion of
Sun, public hols, 3rd Tue in Sep. & a huge feast for William of horrific tort ure instruments. It
8 Booking obligatory (via website). Orange in the Ridderzaal. shares an entrance with Galerij
∑prodemos.nl The Binnenhof was one Prins Willem V.
The historic Binnenhof is a of the most important
series of buildings erected European centres of E Galerij Prins Willem V
around the hunting lodge of diplomacy in the Buitenhof 33. Tel 070-3023456. @
the counts of Holland. In 1247, Golden Age. The v Open noon–5pm Tue–Sun.
William II was proclaimed Holy magnifice ntly Closed 1 Jan, 5 & 25 Dec. &
Roman Emperor; he later had ornate meeting ∑ galerijprinswillemv.nl
the Gothic Ridderzaal (Hall hall dates from Prince William V was an
of the Knights) built as a this period and is enthusiastic collector of
banqueting hall. The Binnenhof where the Upper 17th-century art. In 1774, his
has since then been the House currently private collection was put
residence of stadholders, sits. The Lower Porcelain from the Museum on show for the public in
princes and governments. House met in Bredius collection this former inn, which the
The court of Holland has William V’s old prince had converted into
administered justice since 1511 ballroom until 1992, when it his office. The treasures in this
in the Rolzaal (Roll Court). The was moved to a new location. gallery include paintings by
northern provinces of the Tours of the building begin in Rembrandt, Jan Steen and
Netherlands broke free from the medieval cellars and pass Paulus Potter (1625–54).

E Museum Bredius
Lange Vijverberg 14. Tel 070-362
0729. @ v Open 11am–5pm
Tue–Sun. Closed 1 Jan, 25 Dec.
& ∑ museumbredius.nl
Art historian and art collector
Abraham Bredius was also
director of the Mauritshuis
(see pp226–7) from 1895 to
1922. On his death in 1946
he bequeathed his collection
of 17th- and 18th-century
art, including paintings by
Rembrandt and Jan Steen,
to the city of The Hague. The
elegant 18th-century mansion
on the north side of the
Hofvijver which houses the
museum also has fine antique
furniture and porcelain and
Landscape by Fading Light by Albert Cuyp (Museum Bredius) beautifully engraved silver.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp398 and pp410–11

224-225_EW_Netherlands.indd 224 16/01/17 11:54 am