International The Hague, The Hague

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A visit to The Hague's Tourist Information Office next to the Central Station (next to the entrances to the Babylon shopping centre and the Sofitel Hotel). Parking places are in the Babylon Car Park, or just behind the Central Station. A walk to the The Hague's centre takes about 5 minutes.

Addresses
Visitors Address
Koningin Julianaplein 30
THE HAGUE

Opening hours:
Monday 10.00 am – 6.00 pm
Tuesday – Friday 9.00 am - 6.00 pm
Saterday 10.00 am - 5.00 pm
Sunday closed

Special opening hours
June 1 – September 30: Sunday 11.00 am - 3.00 pm

Amsterdam, famous for its canals, Harbour Rotterdam built his skyline, so Royal The Hague could not stay behind. Slowly she started with the image of a true lady, and proudly of Michael Graves, who built the Castalia, better known by the common Hagenese as the "Two *T*i*t*s* Of Lady The Hague", don't laugh! The 2 high sharp redly roofs, I guess ...

*kidding* It gots its name because of Minister Borst ( = brest ) who was minister of public health, wellfare and sport at the time, which ministery was located within the Castalia.

From that moment the whole old city centre of The Hague was turned upside down. Imposing is the "Atrium", about 40 m. high, the town of glass. The art deco-style of the greenish Zurich-Tower by Cesar Pelli got awarded, by the Hagenese "tampon" named. I hear you thinking ...

It is the Hoftoren which granted the Royal Lady ( The Hague ) her style of internationality. With its spire of 172 m/563 ft. Unfortunately the Hoftoren "failed" to establish the tallest building in the Netherlands. Because a mast wasn't constructed by American K.P. Fox.

Still the building got the High-Rise Award ... and ofcourse the members of the jury didn't knew at that time about the horrible high whistle the building makes with stormy weather. That is the wind which blows along the 2 parallel created roof-points. And produces that horrible high whistle ... you can hear at some distance far away.
thanks to VT friend VincentJJ for his photograph.

1 more image

Located right outside the gates of the Peace Palace.

It celebrates the world peace, and each country is simbolized by a stone; in the case of Portugal, by a little piece of the 'calçada' that covers so many streets.

The Hague gots its own Chinatown! This region includes shopping streets such as the Paul Krugerlaan, the Stationsweg and the Wagenstraat which has been renovated. A while ago some plans become reality to create a Chinatown in the busy area concentrated around Wagenstraat near the famous department store, De Bijenkorf.

Chinatown is already home to a lot of Asian business and, the Chinese feeling is very visual here, examples are turrets, lamps, Chinese houses, columns, flags and banners. The exotic shops, Chinese restaurants, bookstores, hairdressers, supermarkts, travel-agencies, video-shops are to be found in the streets that have names, translated in originally Chinese.

Visit the Chinese Fancy Fair, just behind the Beyenkorf. On event-Saturday the streets will be crowded with small booths selling all kind of Chinese merchandise, so keep this event in mind. Very special event is the Chinese New Years Day, with a lot of fireworks, and the famous dance of the Dragon & Lion ... at February 17th 2007, the Year of the Boar started.

Info The Hague:
Stichting Chinatown
St. Jacobstraat 15
2512 AN Den Haag
or
Gedempte Burgwal 20C
2512 BV The Hague

Den Haag has a huge asian, especially indonesian community. So it is no surprise that also Den Haag has its own Chinatown. You can spend a lot of time there, just looking around the shops or trying the dishes of the restaurants.

The Hague could be a great place for a holiday any time of the year, believe me! With its many musical and cultural events it will be your pleasure to visit The Hague, go for a shop and more ...

While shopping-fanatics will have a great time, art-lovers and wannahaves-antique will enjoy themselves to their heart's content, too. Many gallery owners, antique dealers and other artists will be thrilled showing you their works. Go for the best shops, concentrated right in the center of The Hague, where you can walk safely. De "Snoeptrommel" (known by the locals as Candy-Box), next to the Gouden Hooft, stately Noordeinde and the Hague-Tower on the photograph, will be a good start, and go for a shop-walk into the Spuistraat ...

Have fun around ... greetzzz RoyJava

When showbusiness, congresses and other conferences the NCC is the best and largest location to find. Just between the centre of The Hague and beach resort Scheveningen both city visitors and beach lovers can enjoy all the facilities the NCC offers ... ehm, the building was created by J.P. Oud in 1960, and will have an extreme "make-up over" in 2006 with its new name of "World Forum Convention Center"!

Nobody can miss the City-Hall & Central Library (Stadhuis & Bibliotheek), easily spotted in The Hagues center and, due to its enormous size and unmistakable Richard Meier palette: pure white, and only white ...

The public has chosen for Meier's design to represent the people of The Hague. The huge building, with a large open atrium space with a glass roof, has carefully been designed to allow sunlight in but at the same time to control the temperature of space. When sitting on the benches inside enjoy this spaceful Atrium.

You can find the council chamber, the public library where you can look outside and the hall of marriage. There are some shops on the street level and the City-Hall and Central Library are just a minute-walk away.

The Atrium of the City-Hall is open to public (opening hours: Monday - Thursday 7.00 to 19.00 Friday 7.00 to 21.30 Saturday 9.30 to 17.00)

Richard Meier

The Hagues centre ... it is "City life", concentrated around the Hofvijver (Pond of Court) and the Binnenhof (Inner Courtyard), which is where the Parliament is located. As its name says the Vijver ("The Pond") was a dune-lake. In summertime the Pond grants a beautiful view, in September there is a fair and, in winter you can skate on the frozen-made pond ... And donot forget to eat a herring just around the corner nearby Binnenhof!

Binnenhof - Inner Courtyard

Here is the international court of justice located. So, although you can have guided tours through the building (during weekdays) it is always prudent not to count on it too much. Because when the court is in session or when there is a demonstration, all tours are cancelled.. The latest news i've heard i sthat nowadays it is only possible to enter with a group tour on reservation but i haven't verified that.