The Hague

The Hague (Dutch: Den Haag, short for 's-Gravenhage) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. It is the third-largest city in the Netherlands and has over half a million people. The city is on the west coast near the North Sea.

The Hague is where the Netherlands government works. It is called the country’s de facto capital, even though Amsterdam is the official capital of the Netherlands.

The Hague is part of a bigger area called the Greater The Hague urban area with over 800,000 people. It is also in the Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area, which has about 2.6 million people. This area is part of the Randstad region, one of the largest areas with many cities in Europe.

Important places in The Hague include the Cabinet, the States General, the Supreme Court, and the Council of State. King Willem-Alexander works at the Noordeinde Palace with Queen Máxima. Many foreign embassies and many Dutch companies have offices there. The Royal Library of the Netherlands is also in the city. The seaside resort Scheveningen is part of the city.

The Hague is famous for international law. The International Court of Justice, which is part of the United Nations, is there. Other important groups like the International Criminal Court, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons are also based in the city. The city has hosted big international meetings, such as the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit and the 2025 NATO Summit.

Etymology

The name Den Haag, often called The Hague in English, comes from an old Dutch word hag(h)e, which means "hedge", "enclosure", or "hunting ground". People first used this name in the year 1242. Later, in 1347, the name changed to 's-Gravenhage, meaning "the count's enclosure", after the Count of Holland.

In 1990, the city decided to use the shorter name, Den Haag, for everyday use. But for official papers, they still use the longer name. When you send a letter, you can write either 's-Gravenhage or Den Haag, and it will still reach the right place. Trains and road signs also show the name Den Haag.

Main article: Middle Dutch

Count of Holland

's-Gravenzande

History

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of The Hague.

Ancient history

The area of The Hague was part of the Roman province of Germania Inferior. In 1997, four Roman milestones were found. They show the distance to the nearest Roman city, Forum Hadriani, which is now Voorburg.

Early history

Little is known about how The Hague began. The Hague was founded by the counts of the House of Holland. One count, Floris IV, owned homes in the area. His son, William II, turned a home into a palace. The village around this palace was first called Die Haghe in 1242. The counts of Holland used The Hague as their main home.

Modern history

In 1806, The Hague was officially given city rights. After the Napoleonic Wars, The Hague became an important government city. The city grew quickly after 1850.

During World War II, The Hague suffered damage. After the war, The Hague rebuilt and grew, becoming one of the largest building sites in Europe. New homes and areas were added.

Geography

See also: Districts of The Hague

The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea in the Netherlands and is the centre of the Greater The Hague urban area. Westland and Wateringen lie to the south, Rijswijk, Delft and the Rotterdam area (known as Rijnmond) to the southeast, Pijnacker-Nootdorp and Zoetermeer to the east, Leidschendam-Voorburg, Voorschoten and the Leiden area to the northeast and Wassenaar to the north.

The areas around The Hague and Rotterdam are close enough to be seen as one region in some ways. They share the Rotterdam The Hague Airport and a train system called RandstadRail. This created the Rotterdam-The Hague metropolitan area. This large region centred on The Hague and Rotterdam is part of the Randstad—specifically a group of towns called the South Wing (Zuidvleugel). The Randstad, which also includes, among others, Amsterdam and Utrecht, has a population of 6,659,300. The Hague lies at the southwestern corner of the second-largest group of towns in the European Union.

The Hague is divided into eight districts, which are, in turn, divided into areas. Some of the richest and some of the poorest areas of the Netherlands can be found in The Hague. The richer parts such as Statenkwartier, Belgisch Park, Marlot, Benoordenhout and Archipelbuurt are generally in the northwestern part of the city, closer to the sea, whereas the southeastern areas such as Transvaal, Moerwijk, and the Schilderswijk are significantly poorer, except the Vinex-locations of Leidschenveen-Ypenburg and Wateringse Veld.

The districts are:

• Centrum (110,000 inhabitants) forms the heart of The Hague. The Binnenhof, the Noordeinde Palace, the Mauritshuis museum, the Nieuwe Kerk, the Grote Kerk, the Old City Hall and the City Hall are located here. Architecture varies from medieval to the 20th century.
• Escamp (131,000 inhabitants) is the most populous district of The Hague, built largely after World War II as part of The Hague's large expansion to the southeast. One railway station can be found here: Den Haag Moerwijk. The district is divided into six areas.
• Haagse Hout (51,000 inhabitants) is a wealthy district in the northeast of the city and the location of the Haagse Bos, a large forest. The King of the Netherlands lives in the royal palace Huis ten Bosch, in this forest. The district also includes the financial centre of the city, the Beatrixkwartier.
• Laak (46,000 inhabitants) is the smallest district of the city, southeast of its centre, for the most part, built in the 20th and 21st centuries. The area used to be part of Rijswijk until the municipality of The Hague bought the land in 1844. The Hollands Spoor railway station and The Hague University are located here, as well as the site of the planned mixed-use development Nieuw Binckhorst.
• Leidschenveen-Ypenburg (48,000 inhabitants) is an early 21st-century Vinex-location southeast of the city, geographically connected to the main body of the city only by a narrow corridor. The district is divided into Leidschenveen and Ypenburg, which were part of Leidschendam, Nootdorp, and Rijswijk before the areas were annexed by The Hague in 2002. This area was the site of Ypenburg Airport, which was a military airport during World War II.
• Loosduinen (53,000 inhabitants) is the westernmost district of The Hague. It was a village unto itself until 1923, when it was annexed by The Hague. The less popular of the city's two seaside resorts, Kijkduin, is located here. The district is divided into four areas.
• Scheveningen (61,000 inhabitants) is the wealthy northernmost district of The Hague. A modern beach resort, Scheveningen is a popular tourist destination. It has a long sandy beach and its own esplanade, pier, and lighthouse, but also a Pathé cinema, a musical theatre, a casino, and a special Museum for Scheveningen. The district also includes a fishing harbour. Notable buildings include the Kurhaus and, farther inland, the Peace Palace.
• Segbroek (63,000 inhabitants) is a district located between Scheveningen and Loosduinen. The population decreased until around 2005, but since then has begun to grow again, driven by students and Eastern European immigrants. It became a district of The Hague in 1988 and is divided into five areas.

Climate

The Hague experiences a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb) similar to almost all of the Netherlands. Because of its location on the coast, it experiences milder winters and cooler summers than more inland locations. However, because of its location, it can also be extremely windy in the winter and humid in the summer. It also gets more sunshine.^{[citation needed]}

Cityscape

See also: List of tallest buildings in Haaglanden

City life concentrates around the Hofvijver and the Binnenhof, where the States General of the Netherlands is located. Because of its history, the historical inner city of The Hague differs in various aspects from the nearby smaller cities of Leiden and Delft. It does not have a cramped inner city, bordered by canals and walls. Instead, it has some small streets in the town centre that may be dated from the late Middle Ages and several spacious streets boasting large and luxurious 18th-century residences built for diplomats and affluent Dutch families. It has a large church dating from the 15th century, a City Hall (built as such) from the 16th century, several large 17th-century palaces, a 17th-century Protestant church built in what was then a modern style, and many important 18th-century buildings.

The city is becoming more student-friendly with the introduction of a new campus in 2012 of Leiden University as well as Leiden University College The Hague, which was established in 2010. The Royal Conservatory of The Hague and the Royal Academy of Art are also located there, as well as The Hague University, a vocational university, and a branch of The Open University of the Netherlands. The city has many civil servants and diplomats. In fact, the number and variety of foreign residents (especially the expatriates) make the city quite culturally diverse, with many foreign pubs, shops and cultural events.

The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea and includes two distinct beach resorts. The main beach resort Scheveningen, in the northwestern part of the city, is a popular destination for tourists as well as for inhabitants. With 10 million visitors a year, it is the most popular beach town in the Benelux area. Kijkduin, in the southwest, is The Hague's other beach resort. It is significantly smaller and attracts mainly local residents.

The former Dutch colony of the East Indies, now Indonesia, has left its mark on The Hague. Since the 19th century, high-level civil servants from the Dutch East Indies often spent long-term leave and vacations in The Hague. Many streets are named after places in the Netherlands East Indies (as well as other former Dutch colonies such as Suriname), and there is a sizable "Indo" (i.e., mixed Dutch-Indonesian) community. Since the loss of these Dutch possessions in December 1949, "Indo people" also known as "Indische people" often refer to The Hague as "the Widow of the Indies".

The older parts of the town have many characteristically wide and long streets. Houses are generally low-rise (often not more than three floors). A large part of the southwestern city was planned by the progressive Dutch architect H.P. Berlage about 1910. This 'Plan Berlage' decided the spacious and homely streets for several decades. In World War II, a large portion of the western portion of The Hague was destroyed by the Germans. Afterward, modernist architect W.M. Dudok planned its renewal, putting apartment blocks for the middle class in open park-like settings.

The layout of the city is more spacious than other Dutch cities, and because of the incorporation of large and old nobility estates, the creation of various parks, and the use of green zones around natural streams, it is a much greener city than any other in the Netherlands. That is, excepting some medieval close-knitted streets in the centre. The Hague has a canal system around the old city center, which is mainly used for boat tours around the city. Most of the canals were drained in the late 19th century, and some were filled between 1910 and 1970, but many have been restored recently.^[when?]

The tallest buildings of The Hague are both 146-meter-tall ministries of Justice and Security and the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands, designed by Hans Kollhoff. Other significant skyscrapers include the Hoftoren, Het Strijkijzer and De Kroon.

Demographics

The Hague has more than 549,000 people, making it the third-largest city in the Netherlands. The city grew a lot from 1800 to 1960, then shrank a little before growing again. Today, many people in The Hague come from different backgrounds.

Just under half of the people in The Hague say they belong to a religion. The most common religions are Christianity and Islam. People with families from places like Indonesia, Turkey, Morocco, and Suriname often have strong religious ties.

Religions in The Hague (2015)

1. Irreligion (49.6%)
2. Roman Catholic (14.9%)
3. Protestant Church in the Netherlands (9.40%)
4. Other Christian denominations (5.70%)
5. Islam (14.7%)
6. Hinduism (4.80%)
7. Buddhism (0.80%)
8. Judaism (0.20%)

Politics

See also: List of mayors of The Hague

The Hague is an important city for international law and peace. It is home to many international courts and organizations, such as the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. The city became a center for peace and justice in the late 1800s after hosting global peace conferences. These meetings led to the creation of the first organization for solving disputes between countries, called the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Later, many more important courts and groups were set up in The Hague.

The city also has its own local government. After the 2026 The Hague municipal election, the city council has several groups, with Heart for The Hague having the most seats. The mayor leads the city government, and several aldermen help manage different areas.

Economy

The Hague has an economy based on services. Many people work for the government or international groups. Important offices include Defence, Justice, Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, and Transport, Public Works and Water Management.

Many large international companies have offices in The Hague. Some of these companies are Aegon, APM Terminals, Damco, NIBC Bank, Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, and PostNL. The city also has regional offices for Siemens, T-Mobile, AT&T, Huawei, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, McDermott International, Saudi Aramco, TotalEnergies, and Worley.

The Hague is a popular place for visitors, being the second most visited city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam. Tourism helps the local economy.

Culture

The Hague started in the 13th century and is the city's cultural center. Its nightlife is around three main squares in the center. The Plein, meaning "Plaza" or "Town square," has big sidewalk cafés where politicians are often seen. The Grote Markt, or "Big Market," is full of chairs and tables all year. The Buitenhof, just outside the Binnenhof, has a cinema with six screens and several bars and restaurants nearby. Next to the Buitenhof is De Passage, the country’s first covered shopping mall, with expensive and special shops. The city has music venues like Paard van Troje and Muziekcafé de Paap.

Scheveningen is another cultural spot in The Hague, with its own cinema and musical theatre, Circustheater. In the summer, most nightlife moves to the sea-front boulevard with its bars, restaurants, and fun places. Scheveningen has attractions like the miniature park Madurodam, the Beelden aan Zee museum, and a Sea Life Centre.

The Hague is where the Dutch monarch lives, and several royal palaces are in the city. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima live in Huis ten Bosch and work in Noordeinde Palace in the city center. There are also two former royal palaces in The Hague. The Kneuterdijk Palace, built in 1716, is now home to the Council of State of the Netherlands, and the Lange Voorhout Palace is now occupied by the Escher Museum, dedicated to the artist M. C. Escher.

The Hague has many museums, including the Mauritshuis, which shows paintings by famous artists like Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt van Rijn, and Paulus Potter. The Kunstmuseum shows art from after 1800, including paintings by Piet Mondrian. Other museums include the science museum Museon, the historic museum Haags Historisch Museum, and the national postal museum Museum voor Communicatie.

The stork has been the symbol of The Hague since early times, possibly since the 16th century. Several films have been partially shot in The Hague, including Mindhunters, Hum Tum, Ocean’s Twelve, Black Book, and Sonny Boy. Parts of the second season of the Netflix series Sense8 were also filmed in The Hague. Notable actors and filmmakers from The Hague include Martin Koolhoven, Georgina Verbaan, Carel Struycken, Frederique van der Wal, Marwan Kenzari, Anna Drijver, Renée Soutendijk, and Paul Verhoeven.

Sports

The city’s major football club is ADO Den Haag, which plays in the second-highest tier of football in the Netherlands. ADO Den Haag has won the KNVB Cup twice and won the League twice before professional football began. They play their matches at the 15,000-seat ADO Den Haag Stadium. Another amateur team, HVV, is also based in the city. Before the professional era, HVV won 10 national titles and one KNVB Cup.

Since 2020, the basketball club The Hague Royals has played in the professional Dutch Basketball League. Home games are played at the Sportcampus Zuiderpark.

The local rugby union team is Haagsche Rugby Club (a.k.a. HRC). The ice hockey team is HYS The Hague and the local American football team is Den Haag Raiders '99.

Darts is another popular sport in The Hague, made more famous by Raymond van Barneveld winning several World Championships.

The half-marathon race CPC Loop Den Haag is held annually in The Hague. In 1994, The Hague hosted the FEI World Equestrian Games.

Annual events

Koningsdag, or King’s Day, is held annually on 27 April. It is celebrated with fairs and markets throughout the city. On this day, the color orange is everywhere at funfairs and street markets. Since King’s Day is a national holiday, many people also celebrate the night before, called King’s Night.

Every third Tuesday in September is Prinsjesdag, or Prince’s Day, the opening of the Dutch parliament. On this festive day, children in The Hague get the day off from school to watch the procession of the Golden Coach. The King travels in the coach from Noordeinde Palace to the Ridderzaal in the Binnenhof, where the King reads the Speech from the Throne, outlining the government’s plans for the coming year. In the afternoon, the Royal Family appears on the palace balcony to greet the public.

Vlaggetjesdag, or Flag Day, celebrates the arrival of the year’s first herring in Scheveningen. Hundreds of thousands of people gather for the festivities, and the fishing boats are decorated for the occasion. In addition to herring, there are many activities unrelated to fish. In Scheveningen, the first barrel of herring is sold at an auction on the Thursday before Vlaggetjesdag, and the proceeds go to charity. Vlaggetjesdag became official in 1947, though the tradition is much older.

The Tong Tong Fair is the largest festival in the world for Indo culture. Established in 1959, it is one of the oldest festivals and the fourth-largest grand fair in the Netherlands. The Milan Festival is Europe’s biggest Hindustani open-air event, held annually in Zuiderpark. The Hague also hosts several annual music festivals; on the last Sunday in June, the city hosts Parkpop, the largest free open-air pop concert in Europe. Other music festivals in The Hague include Crossing Border Festival, State-X, and The Hague Jazz.

Crossing Border Festival is an annual festival in November, focusing on music and literature. The first edition took place in 1993.

Movies That Matter is an international film and debate festival about peace and justice that takes place every year at the end of March. The Hague International Model United Nations is an annual five-day conference held at the World Forum, gathering over 4,000 students from over 200 secondary schools across the globe. It is the oldest and largest high school United Nations simulation in the world. Den Haag Sculptuur is an open-air exhibition of sculptures. Since 2009, the city of The Hague has also annually presented an LGBTQ+ emancipation award, called the John Blankenstein Award. The exact date of the ceremony varies each year.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from The Hague

The Hague has been home to many famous people. Some well-known people were born there or lived there. These people have done important work in different areas.

Transport

Air

The Hague shares an airport with Rotterdam. You can get there from Central Station by taking RandstadRail Line E and then an Airport Shuttle to and from Meijersplein Station. Many people use Amsterdam Airport Schiphol instead, because there are direct trains every hour from Hollands Spoor and Centraal stations.

Rail

The Hague has two main railway stations: Hollands Spoor and Centraal Station, about 1.5 km apart. Centraal Station has direct trains to big Dutch cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht. You can also go to Leiden, Haarlem, Zwolle, Groningen, Leeuwarden, Amersfoort, Enschede, Breda, Tilburg, and Eindhoven. For trips to Antwerp and Brussels, you need to change trains in Rotterdam.

Urban transport

The Hague has trams and many bus routes run by HTM Personenvervoer. A tunnel was built under the city centre in 2004 with two underground tram stops (Spui and Grote Markt). This tunnel is used by RandstadRail lines 3 and 4, and tram routes 2 and 6.

RandstadRail connects The Hague to nearby cities such as Zoetermeer, Rotterdam, and Leidschendam-Voorburg. It includes light rail lines 3, 4, and 19, and a subway line (E to Rotterdam).

Road

Important highways connected to The Hague include the A12, which goes to Utrecht and towards the German border. The A12 goes through the city centre. A new road called the “Rotterdamsebaan” was finished in 2021 to help with traffic. Other highways are the A4 to Amsterdam, the A13 to Rotterdam and towards Belgium, and the A44 to Leiden, Haarlem, and Amsterdam. Plans to build another highway to Leiden, called the “Leidsebaan”, were stopped in the 1980s.