's-Gravenhage is the official Dutch name for Den Haag or The Hague. It’s a city on the Western coast of The Netherlands and the capital of the province of South Holland. It is also the seat of government of The Netherlands and hosts the International Court of Justice. With a metropolitan population of more than 1 million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
The Hague is the seat of the Cabinet, the States General (Staten Generaal), the Supreme Court, and the Council of State of The Netherlands. King Willem Alexander lives in Huis ten Bosch and works at the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague, together with Queen Máxima. Most foreign embassies in The Netherlands are located in the city as well.
The Hague was founded by the last counts of the House of Holland. Floris IV already owned two residences in the area, but presumably purchased a third court situated by the present day Hofvijver (“Court Pond”) in 1229, previously owned by a woman called Meilendis. Presumably, Floris IV intended to rebuild the court into a large castle, but he died in a tournament in 1234, before anything was built. His son and successor William II lived in the court, and after he was elected King of the Romans in 1248, he promptly returned to The Hague, and had builders turn the court into a "royal palace" (regale palacium), which would later be called the Binnenhof ("Inner Court"). He died in 1256 before this palace was completed but parts of it were finished during the reign of his son Floris V, of which the Ridderzaal ("Knights' Hall"), still intact, is the most prominent. The village that originated around the Binnenhof was first mentioned as Die Haghe in a charter dating from 1242.
The Royal city of The Hague has been the residence of the Royal Family for centuries.
The Hague is a royal city with a high feel good factor. After all, you might spontaneously encounter members of the Royal Family on the street or in one of 'their' stores. You'll also stumble upon the House of Orange; the many historical monuments, the presence of residential and working palaces, royal thoroughfares and horse-drawn coaches.
Home of Art gallery is situated just next to the Hofvijver and across the Binnenhof at Korte Vijverberg 2 in The Hague.
