Description of the attraction
The Old Town Hall of The Hague is a very beautiful old Renaissance building. It is located near the Church of St. Jacob, one of the oldest buildings in the city. Previously, it was the seat of the municipality, but now the city government is located in a new building on Kalvermarkt. The townspeople called this snow-white building the "ice palace".
Marriage ceremonies are still held in the old building, and newborns are registered by members of the royal family. Other citizens receive birth certificates in the new building.
The town hall building was built in 1565, on the site of the old count's castle. Perhaps one of the towers of the town hall has survived from this castle. In 1882, the town hall was restored and expanded somewhat. The building houses a historic art gallery. For its time, the town hall looked very luxurious and impressive. In addition, The Hague was never a city in the medieval sense of the word and did not have the status of a city, because was not surrounded by walls, and for a village, even a very large one, such a town hall looked altogether grandiose.
It is not known what miracle saved the town hall during the Protestant revolution, when fanatical crowds destroyed everything in their path, and old stained glass windows and decorations survived in the town hall. The interior of the town hall was changed several times, new decor appeared and the old one was restored. Paintings and paintings of the 17th century attract a lot of attention. The statues on the facade appeared in 1742. They symbolize Faith, Hope, Love, Strength and Justice.
