The Hague

The Hague

Capital of Holland, The Hague was initially a hunting preserve of the counts of Holland and was referred to as the count's enclosure, or "hedge," the word from which its Dutch name is derived. It was the capital of the Dutch republic in the 17th and 18th centuries but was not granted the rights of a city until the Napoleonic period. Today it is the home of the Dutch parliament (housed in the historic Binnenhof castle). The city with its medieval palaces, 17 century almshouses, royal palaces and floral parks, is full of surprises.