If you visit The Hague to view Home of Art's latest exhibition, purchase Christmas gifts AND enjoy the musical performances on Saturday December 7th, you might want to make the most of your visit to Den Haag (The Hague).
Here are some tips:
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Scheveningen
From the center of Den Haag you can catch a tram to the beach of Scheveningen, where you can stroll over The Netherland's most famous pier, an icon on the Dutch coast. The Scheveningen beach resort offers a comprehensive range of food, drinks and shopping concepts. If you feel adventurous, maybe the Ferris wheel (Reuzenrad Skyview De Pier) or a bungy jump or the zip line , all with a view over Den Haag and the Dutch coast is something for you?
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Mauritshuis
The Mauritshuis is an intimate museum with a world class collection from the Dutch Golden Age. At the unique 17th century palace you can view a.o. "The Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Vermeer and "The Anatomy Lesson" by Rembrandt. The Mauritshuis is a unique opportunity to see world famous paintings by the Dutch Masters at one of Holland's most beautiful locations, just across the street from Home of Art. Open on Saturday between 10.00 and 18.00h.
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The Hague HighLights
On Saturday December 7th, between 18.00h and 22.00h, the outer walls of the Mauritshuis and Ridderzaal will be part of a fantastic light show, visible when you step outside Home of Art gallery. On the Ridderzaal you can view the “Old Masters, New Heroes” video projection and on the Mauritshuis you can see an interactive light projection which enables you to have a peek at the Golden Age and “meet” the masters of the Mauritshuis.
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Hop on Hop off horse carriages
Make your way around the city centre in style during the holiday season with illuminated Hop on Hop off carriages. There is no charge to ride the carriage, but rides are limited to one stop (except if no one is waiting at the following stop, then you can remain seated). A unique winter experience that can only be found in The Hague during the holiday season!
The Mauritshuis stop is just in front of Home of Art gallery.
Stops on Saturday December 7th between 17.30h – 21.30h: Mauritshuis - Buitenhof - Kop Grote Marktstraat – Buitenhof - Mauritshuis. -
De Passage
The Passage in The Hague, commissioned in 1885, is the oldest existing shopping center in The Netherlands and the only remaining example of this type of covered shopping in The Netherlands. The new extension of the monumental construction towards Grote Marktstraat has given rise to a hypermodern indoor shopping arcade: Nieuwe Haagse Passage. A veritable shopping paradise: dry and sheltered, with the latest collections from top stores!
Open on Saturday December 7 from 10.00-18.00 and about 5 minutes walking distance from Home of Art. -
Binnenhof & Ridderzaal (Inner court & Hall of Knights)
The Binnenhof is situated in the heart of The Hague’s city centre, just across the street from Home of Art. It has been the location of meetings of the Dutch parliament, the Staten Generaal, since 1446, and has been the centre of Dutch politics for many centuries. The grounds on which the Binnenhof now stands were purchased by Count Floris IV of Holland in 1229. He built his mansion here, next to the Hofvijver (“Court Pond”). More buildings were then constructed around the court, such as the Ridderzaal (Great hall; literally Knight's Hall), where King Willem-Alexander holds his annual speech at Prinsjesdag (Prince's Day).
Step through the famous entry gate into the historical Binnenhof, it’s studded with monumental old buildings testifying of eight centuries of governing in the Low Countries, such as:
- The offfice of the Prime Minister in one of the towers, simply known as Het Torentje (“the Little Tower”, directly next to the Mauritshuis).
- A large modern building at the South side of the Binnenhof houses the House of Representatives, the lower but more important of the Dutch democratically elected Houses of parliament.
- A gold neogothic fountain adorns the main square and one of the few Dutch equestrian statues (of King William II) guards the main Stadtholder's Gate, dating from around 1600.
- The Hofvijver, “Court Pond”, the artificial lake beside the Binnenhof (And across Home of Art) was first dug out by the counts of Holland in the late 13C. Originally a natural body of water among the sand dunes, the Court Pond was extended over the years. The excavated sand was piled up on the north side of the lake to form the elevated area known as the Lange Vijverberg, now occupied by a graciously curving line of mostly 18C mansions. The 17C buildings along the short side of the lake, the Korte Vijverberg, include the King's Cabinet and the city's historical museum. Home of Art is located at Korte Vijverberg 2.
