The Hague and Bethlehem

Country: Netherlands
Date of Agreement: 17 April 2000
Name of Mayor: W.J. Deetman
Tel: 0031 70353299
Fax: 0031 703532758
Address: P.O.Box. 12600, 2500 DJ The Hague

The Hague,  In Dutch, Gravenhage or Den Haag is a city and the seat of government of the Netherlands (Amsterdam is the official capital), and capital of Zuid-Holland (South Holland) Province, in the western part of the country. Located about 6 km (about 4 mi) inland from the North Sea, it is the nation's third largest city (after Amsterdam and Rotterdam) and its chief administrative center. The Supreme Court of the Netherlands and the States-General (parliament) are here; the city is also the site of most foreign embassies. Integral parts of the surrounding metropolitan area include the famous beach resort of Scheveningen, Wassenaar, known for its tree-lined avenues and luxurious residences; and Rijswijk, Voorburg, and the new town of Zoetermeer.

The Hague is mainly residential; its economy is based largely on government and administrative activities. The city is the site of the International Court of Justice, a United Nations agency, and is increasingly important as a center for international conferences. The city is also the headquarters for Eurapol, which coordinates cross-border policing for members of the European Union. In addition, The Hague is an important transportation center, with major highways, railroads, and canals providing access to Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Offices of Royal Dutch Shell and other major corporations are here. Diversified manufactures, produced at scattered locations throughout the metropolitan area, include electronic equipment, metal products, chemicals, glass, printed materials, and chocolate and other processed food.

Notable landmarks in The Hague include the Binnenhof (Inner Court) and Buitenhof (Outer Court), consisting of a group of government structures dating in part from the 13th century. These include the palace of the States-General, the courts of justice, and the Ridderzaal (Hall of the Knights), built in 1252, in which the states of the Netherlands repudiated the sovereignty of Philip II, king of Spain, in 1581. Ancient towers and gateways surround the group. Nearby to the north is the city's main square and the famous Mauritshuis Royal Art Gallery, known for its collection of 15th- to 17th-century Dutch paintings. Other historic landmarks include the 15th-century Groote Kerk (Great Church); the Stadhuis (City Hall, 1565); and the Gevangenpoort (Prison Gate), now a museum, where the Dutch statesmen Jan De Witt and Cornelis De Witt were murdered in 1672. Modern buildings of interest are the Peace Palace (1913), endowed by the American industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1903 and now the home of the International Court of Justice, the modern Municipal Building; and the Netherlands Congress Center (1969). Educational institutions in The Hague include the Institute of Social Studies (1952), the Royal Conservatory of Music and Dance (1826), and the Royal Academy of Fine and Applied Arts (1682). Madurodam, a miniature reconstruction of an old Dutch town, is a popular tourist attraction.

The Hague originated as a hunting seat of the counts of Holland. It became the center of court life after William of Holland built a castle here in 1248. In the late 16th century the city emerged as the Dutch capital during the revolt of the Netherlands against Spanish rule. It was under French control from 1795 to 1813. The city again became the center of court life in 1815 with the establishment of the kingdom of the United Netherlands, which included present-day Belgium until 1830. The Hague Peace Conferences of 1899 and 1907 ( see Hague Conferences) increased the city's longstanding importance as an international diplomatic and judicial center and led to the establishment here of The Hague Tribunal, or Permanent Court of Arbitration. Since the early 1970s efforts have been made to relocate some of the city's governmental functions to less developed outlying provinces.