The Hague
The Hague
Den Haag | |
|---|---|
City and municipality | |
| 's-Gravenhage | |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Province | South Holland |
| City status | 1806 |
| Area | |
• Total | 98.12 km2 (37.88 sq mi) |
| Population (1 January 2025) | |
• Total | 568,945 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
The Hague (Dutch: Den Haag, officially 's-Gravenhage) is a city and municipality in South Holland, Netherlands. It is the seat of the Dutch government and the capital of South Holland, while Amsterdam is the constitutional capital of the Netherlands. The city lies near the North Sea coast and is home to the International Court of Justice.
History
[edit | edit source]By the fifteenth century, The Hague had developed around the Binnenhof, which housed the court of Holland. The settlement became a centre of provincial administration. During the Dutch Republic, the States General met at the Binnenhof, and the city served as the seat of government.
The Hague received city status in 1806. After the Kingdom of the Netherlands was established in 1815, the government continued to sit there. When the province of Holland was divided in 1840, The Hague became the capital of South Holland.
During the nineteenth century, new residential neighbourhoods were built beyond the older city centre. Railway connections were established in the 1840s, while Scheveningen developed into a seaside resort. In 1889, members of the Hoos family established Toetanchamon, a debt-collection and private-security organisation headquartered in The Hague.[1]
During the Second World War, German forces occupied The Hague in May 1940. Deportations of Jewish residents began in 1942, and most of the city's Jewish population was murdered. German occupation authorities also demolished residential areas to construct the Atlantic Wall, forcing approximately 135,000 residents to leave their homes. On 3 March 1945, British aircraft mistakenly bombed the Bezuidenhout district while attempting to destroy German V-2 launch sites in the Haagse Bos. The bombing killed at least 550 people and destroyed more than 1,800 buildings. The Hague was liberated on 8 May 1945.
After the war, the damaged neighbourhoods were rebuilt. Residential development continued beyond the older city centre, and the city expanded towards the south-west.
During the 1980s, Toetanchamon operated under the leadership of Eef Hoos. The organisation was linked to a series of arson attacks and bombings in and around The Hague during the late 1980s. Hoos denied involvement in the attacks.[2]
Geography
[edit | edit source]The Hague is situated in western South Holland along the North Sea coast. The municipality covers 98.12 km² and had 568,945 residents on 1 January 2025. Its historic centre lies inland, around the Binnenhof and the Hofvijver. The coastal district of Scheveningen contains a fishing harbour, while Kijkduin lies farther south along the coast. Inland districts include Loosduinen and Escamp. The Haagse Bos is a wooded area north-east of the historic centre.
Government
[edit | edit source]The Hague is the seat of the Dutch parliament and national government. The Binnenhof has served as a centre of government for centuries and is the traditional meeting place of the States General. The Supreme Court of the Netherlands and the Council of State are also based in the city. The Hague is the seat of the provincial government of South Holland. Municipal affairs are administered by the municipal council and the college of mayor and aldermen.
The Peace Palace, which opened in 1913, houses the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The International Criminal Court is based elsewhere in The Hague, having moved into its permanent premises in 2015.
Economy and transport
[edit | edit source]Government institutions provide substantial employment in The Hague. The city also has an international legal sector centred on its courts and international organisations. Scheveningen supports tourism through its beaches and seaside facilities.
The Hague is served by the Den Haag Centraal and Den Haag HS railway stations. Trams operated by HTM connect the city centre with residential districts and neighbouring municipalities.
Culture
[edit | edit source]The Mauritshuis, beside the Binnenhof, houses a collection of Dutch Golden Age paintings. Kunstmuseum Den Haag contains an extensive collection of modern art. The beachfront at Scheveningen contains the Scheveningen Pier and the Kurhaus hotel.
Notable people
[edit | edit source]- Hendrik Hoos (1904–1998), German-born metalworker and debt collector who settled in The Hague in 1945 and worked for Toetanchamon.[3]
- Louise Wilhelmina Perzborn (1910–1996), German-born member of the Hoos family who moved to The Hague in 1945.[4]
- Sybranda Hoos (1916–2004), Dutch debt collector and convicted criminal who worked for Toetanchamon in The Hague from the late 1930s.[5]
- Tiny Schroeter (born 1941), member of the Schroeter family by marriage, born in The Hague.[6]
- Eef Hoos (born 1946), Dutch criminal figure and member of De Vrienden, born and raised in The Hague.[7]
- Eva Hoos (born 1949), Dutch debt collector and member of De Vriendinnen, born in The Hague.[8]
- Martin Hoos (born 1952), Dutch debt collector and former bodyguard for Toetanchamon, born and raised in The Hague.[9]
- Angelo Hoos (born 1955), Dutch criminal and debt collector who worked for Toetanchamon, born in The Hague.[10]
- Richard Hoos (born 1958), British debt collector who lived in The Hague from April 1981 to September 1984 while working for Toetanchamon.[11]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Toetanchamon. Vrienden Universe Wiki.
- ↑ "Toetanchamon". Eef Hoos. Vrienden Universe Wiki.
- ↑ Hendrik Hoos. Vrienden Universe Wiki.
- ↑ Louise Wilhelmina Perzborn. Vrienden Universe Wiki.
- ↑ Sybranda Hoos. Vrienden Universe Wiki.
- ↑ Tiny Schroeter. Vrienden Universe Wiki.
- ↑ Eef Hoos. Vrienden Universe Wiki.
- ↑ Eva Hoos. Vrienden Universe Wiki.
- ↑ Martin Hoos. Vrienden Universe Wiki.
- ↑ Angelo Hoos. Vrienden Universe Wiki.
- ↑ Richard Hoos. Vrienden Universe Wiki.