Travelers visiting The Hague make it a point to go the centre of the city as this is where you will find historical buildings that were designed in the medieval, Baroque and Renaissance architectural styles.
Binnenhof in The Hague – Netherlands or what is known as the Inner Court is perhaps the most popular attraction in the heart of the city as curious visitors want to see the political center of the city.
Location
Binnenhof in The Hague – Netherlands is situated at the northwestern end of the Plein or what is known as The Square in the city center. It is located at Binnenhof 8A.
Getting There
Getting around The Hague is relatively easy as there are several public transports that you can take. When going to Binnenhof in The Hague – Netherlands, you can take the tram.
You can take tram number 1 or 9 and alight at the Spui stadhuis stop; or you can take tram number 2, 3, 6 or 10 and alight at the Spui stop.
From both stops, Binnenhof is just a short walk – about five minutes off.
What to See and Do
Travelers visiting Binnenhof in The Hague – Netherlands will find themselves exploring an enclosed courtyard against a backdrop of a medieval setting. The main attraction here is the Ridderzaal or what is known as the Knight’s Hall.
There is a guided tour that you can join to explore the hall and visit the exhibits currently on display here. Within the Ridderzaal are the two houses of the Parliament, the Upper House and the Lower House. These chambers are included in the tour so you can likewise see where the ‘action” happens when the Houses are in session.
The tour commences at the basement of the Ridderzaal where you will be watching short films about the history of the Binnenhof in The Hague – Netherlands, the Ridderzaal, the House of Representatives and the Senate House.
At the center of the courtyard is a Neo-Gothic fountain while a statue of King William II stands guard over the main gate.
Brief History
The Binnenhof in The Hague – Netherlands or the Inner Court has several historical structures that date as far back as the early 13th century. The land where the Binnenhof now proudly stands was bought by Holland’s Count Floris IV back in the year 1229.
His intention was to build a residence here and he did so right beside the Court Pond.
Since then, a number of other buildings were constructed to accommodate more offices for the Dutch government, the Binnenhof having served as the center of Dutch politics since the year 1446 up to the present time.
Cost
When visiting the Binnenhof in The Hague – Netherlands, what you will pay for are the film showings that are part of the tour of the Knight’s Hall.
For the history of Binnenhof and the Knight’s Hall, cost is 4 Euros per person; for the history of Binnenhof, the Knight’s Hall and the House of Representatives, cost is 6 Euros per person; and for the history of Binnenhof, the Knight’s Hall and the House of Senate, cost is 6 Euros per person.
Other Information
Film showing for the history of Binnenhof, the Knight’s Hall and the House of Senate is only in the mornings of Wednesday and Thursday.
The Binnenhof in The Hague – Netherlands is open from Monday to Saturday, from 10 in the morning up to 6 in the evening. Sundays, it is open from 12noon up to 5 in the afternoon.
Holidays, the Binnenhof is closed.
