Architecture of Netherlands. Must see and must visit landmarks

» Beurs van Berlage is considered to be the most interesting architectural monument of the Netherlands dating back to the 19th century.
» Berlage Stock Exchange was built from 1898 to 1903. The building housed several different exchanges, including stock, grain, currency and freight.
» Beurs van Berlage is decorated with three statues: the statue of the legendary founder of Amsterdam, knight Gijsbrecht van Aemstel, the statue of Admiral and the conqueror of the 17th century, Jan Peterson Kuhn, and the statue of Hugo Grotius, who was the famous Dutch jurist and statesman.
» Currently the exchange building is open to the public as the museum that represents the history of Beurs van Berlage.

» There is an architectural complex among city constructions.
»  There had been a count’s residence once. In 1229, the nobles preferred to haunt in the surroundings of the castle.
»  It is assumed that the grown settlement around the castle turned to The Hague.
»  Nowadays, parliamentary sessions are held and the Dutch Government settled in the Binnenhof.
»  The complex includes a lot of constructions. The Knight's Hall and the tower really impress. The Ridderzaal is a house on the triangular foundation. There are two adjacent towers. Above the entrance, there is a big round window with figured weaves with stained glass. There is an area for dancing parties.
»  When the Basic Law was adopted in 1848, the state bodies decided to demolish the historic building to establish a new authority. The citizens fought for the existence of the monument.
»  There is a fountain cup in the territory of the palace. The forged fountain is gilded.
»  You can see the sculpture of King Wilhelm II near it. There are not so many equestrian statues in the countries.
»  “Binnenhof” is translated from Dutch as “courtyard “.

» The locals call the skyscraper with two cone purple roofs “the Breast of The Hague”.
»  Pointed 35-meter twin towers are built in the traditional Dutch architectural style.
»  The elongated roof is non-functional and only makes the exterior inimitable.
»  The building is located in the city center, in the modern De Resident quarter.
»  The skyscraper did not appear out of thin air. It was built at the site of the building constructed in 1967.
»  In the office building, there are offices of several ministries: Health, Social Affairs, Culture, and Sport.
»  Castalia is the highest construction in the settlement. It is 104 m high.
»  It was built of blocks. Concrete platforms were laid down in rows and then hydraulically raised to the necessary level.
»  Originally, the building was named “Transitorium”, which is the Latin word for “open house”. There were state institutions at one time.
»  In 1998, the new building was named “Castalia”. That was the name of the Greek goddess.
»  The Guardian published the compilation of the most unusual constructions in the world. The Castalia Towers have been attributed to extraordinary European objects.

» The Church of St. Nicholas is the largest Catholic church in Amsterdam.
» The special niche in the top of the gable houses the statue of the patron saint of the church and the city, St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas is also the patron saint of travelers, merchants and sailors.
» Recently the church has been completely renovated; inside the church there is a fully functioning organ dating back to the 19th century. Organ concerts are held there from time to time.
» The church is decorated with two majestic towers; between them there is rose-like window depicting Jesus and the four Evangelists.
» The church has cross-like shape with three outbuildings.

» The houses are situated at a 54-degree angle and supported by high hollow hexagonal pillars above ground level. There are stairs.
»  The City Hall offered to build a residential complex on the bridge with a transport junction. The architect established the modern technology project called “Huts on Trees”.
»  As a result, 38 buildings with a well-developed infrastructure were constructed. Three sides of the cube turn to the ground and the other three - upwards. It was an effective solution to fix the wooden frame with concrete mixture.
»  At the first level of the complex, there is a playground for kids, a school, and boutiques. There is a recreation area at the second level. Apartments are on the higher floor. All the objects are a uniform residential complex.
»  The buildings match the configuration of the bridge they are located on.
»  Rooms in apartments are quite extraordinary - triangles and pyramids. The walls and the floor here are angled too.
»  The isolated three-storey apartment is a separate cube. There are a living room and a kitchen at the first triangular level. At the second level, there is a bedroom and a bathroom. The third level is a triangular pyramid with windows on all sides. There are a study, a children’s room, and a terrace for recreation.

» There are two railway stations in the city territory. It is the only community in the country with such number of stations.
»  The central object is a modern arrival and departure point. All the interchange stations are located under a single tent.
»  You can enter the railway platform in three ways: by getting up the stairs, by the lift, and by the escalator. To catch the suburban train, you need to go down to the ground floor.
»  Den Haag HS is the Dutch railway station. It was put into operation in 1843. The terminal is located a little further, on the main route “Amsterdam - Rotterdam”.
»  The attractive building was constructed in the late 19th century. It is designed in the Neo-Renaissance style.
»  When it was updated a few years after, there was a fire. The original historical exterior of the house was almost restored.
»  There are warehouses and loading docks not far from the railway station.
»  You can use Wi-Fi in all the Dutch trains.
»  The railway station is a 15-minute walk from the central district.
»  The paved picture in passages explains how to reach the driveway for vehicles, the sidewalk, and the cycle track.

» The citizens have chosen the white overpass with an extraordinary configuration as their city symbol.
»  The Erasmusbrug was built in compliance with the most up-to-date technologies. The support was raised and symbolizes that The Erasmusbrug can’t be influenced by any aggressor.
»  The pylon has an irregular shape and is 139 m high. It is 802 m long.
»  There are no similar objects in the world.
»  The silhouette of the steel beauty resembles a feathered giant craning its neck when flying. As it looks like a bird, it is called the “Swan”.
»  The long surface is divided into several parts. The first sector of the bridge is suspended and fixed with cables. When the bridge is illuminated at night, stretched ropes resemble harp strings.
»  The next sector is drawing. Large ships float under it.
»  The passage is located in the Rotterdam port, near the harbor. The construction was completed in 1996. It was obvious that the project needed to be refined and updated.
»  In the viaduct of The Erasmusbrug, concerts, festivals, shows, and other events are held. In this district, there is the route of the international cycling race, The Tour de France.

» The Euromast is a skyscraper in the form of the mast. The City Hall declared the competition of the construction of the extraordinary object. The Dutch architect won it.
»  The Euromast was built in 1960 in conjunction with the tenth international Floriade exhibition. The Euromast is 9 m.
»  The walls are about 30 cm thick. Its foundation is a solid block that weighs 1 900 tons. It makes such a thin construction more stable.
»  There are several institutions. The citizens set their hearts on the De Rottiserie restaurant that offers exquisite cuisine and luxury service. There is a cafe with affordable prices under the restaurant. Two hotel rooms are provided on special request.
»  There is a flat foundation in the form of the bridge at a height of 100 m. It is covered with a glass dome. Observation platforms have a view of the surroundings.
»  It was planned that the tower construction should have been 101 m high and ended with a platform. The citizens mocked at the construction and called it “crow’s home”. Later, the Cosmic Tower was constructed. The building is 85 m high. It is used for technical needs.
»  You can go upstairs to an observation transparent cabin through a floor hatch. It turns around its axis.

» The Church of Saint Jacob, or the Great Church, is an old city construction.
»  It was mentioned as a stone building in the chronicles of the 13th century.
»  Traditionally, the baptism started in the period of the bathing of the royals still continues for the locals.
»  In the font, the Prince of Orange Willem-Alexander was baptized.
»  It is not known when exactly the religious building was built. The wooden church had already existed there in the 13th century.
»  At one time, the House of God welcomed Catholic worshipers. Then, St. Jacob Church became Protestant.
»  Over the years of its existence, the shrine was rebuilt and restored.
»  The interior impresses with stained glass windows. Two of them date back to the 16th century.
»  The preacher’s oak desk has been serving as a bishop’s seat since 1550. The pedestal of the seat depicts the beast with goat’s horns.
»  Wall panels are decorated with arms of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
»  In the hall, there are several organs.
»  The clock hexagonal belfry constructed in the early 15th century is 92 m high.

» The Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk is the only medieval monument in the city.
»  It started to be constructed in 1449. The construction lasted about a hundred years.
»  The church belonged to different confessions (Catholics and Protestants).
»  The building was damaged by the bomb. The authorities wanted to demolish it. However, the church was not dismantled but reconstructed thanks to the locals. The restoration lasted 16 years.
»  The Gothic exterior is deceptive. It does not match the interior, as there are a lot of contemporary decorative elements in St. Lawrence’s Church.
»  Designers created an art zone inside. In the hall, lights are always switched on. Spatial arrangements look strange. In the mirror, you can see the inscription “I will live”.
»  There is a cafe instead of traditional restaurants. You can have tea and talk about the divine purpose.
»  There is an exhibition in the added chapel. Its exhibits tell about the city development and the temple. In a particular sector, you can see pictures depicting world religions. These canvasses are not paintings but moving figures.
»  Besides religious services, you can visit an organ concert or other public events.

» Gradients of The Hague University have excellent career prospects. The educational institution offers its students to practice in partner companies.
»  Besides classrooms, there is the Dutch parliament, headquarters of international companies, and delegates of some countries.
»  Students from 150 countries study here.
»  According to the statistics, this institution is ranked 28th among universities in the country in the availability of equipment and the teaching method.
»  The high school was founded in 1987. At the same time, 14 educational institutions merged. Some high schools were opened in the 19th century.
»  25 thousand students study here.
»  The University of Applied Sciences offers 42 intramural and 21 extramural programs.
»  There are seven faculties.
»  The main campus is located near the railway station. It is surrounded by the North Sea. The main oval building has a glass roof. It is linked with other buildings by galleries. You can see paintings and photos on the walls of the room. There are also sculptures.
»  At the university, the film about the FBI agents was shot.

» Hotel New York is the building that belonged to the Holland America Line Company once. There was its headquarter.
»  Tourists are attracted by the unusual interior of the rooms. The windows have a view of the city surroundings. You can also see landscapes from the terrace.
»  The rooms are spacious and have high ceilings. The arrangement and color of decorative elements are extraordinary too. In each zone, there are a local network and devices maintaining comfortable climatic conditions. The maximum capacity of the room is four people.
»  The first level is occupied by food outlets. At the restaurant, dished are cooked by special order. You can taste delicious beverages at the bar counter on the ground floor. Guests can order room service.
»  In the building, there is a bookstore and a gift shop. There is also a conference room in the territory.
»  You can reach the city center or the harbor by water taxi. You can order a car or park yours in the private parking area.
»  The hotel is registered in the List of National Heritage Sites.
»  The popular Dutch singer Anouk composed a music album at the hotel. Its name is similar to the hotel’s one.

» In the parking area, there is the palace of the ruling dynasty. Many royals lived here.
»  Huis ten Bosch was built in the middle of the 17th century (in 1645) for the Dutch ruler, Frederick of Orange. When he died, the building became an unusual memorial upon the order of his wife.
»  The Orange Hall is decorated with canvasses depicting the life of the state official. The biggest painting depicts the Prince’s triumphal victory in The Hague.
»  Huis ten Bosch has changed many masters for centuries. It had belonged to the Prussian King, the brother of Napoleon I, until the ownership passed to royal heirs of the Dutch throne.
»  During the Second World War, the Germans tried to destroy the palace in retaliation for the Queen’s movement from the country occupied by the enemy to England. The Nazis looted the residence. It was decided to dig anti-tank trenches in its territory but this idea failed.
»  The large-scale reconstruction was started after the war and completed in 1981.
»  The name of the palace and the parking area means “forest hut”.
»  Non-authorized people are not allowed to the territory.

» The House of God is famous for the fact that it was visited by many eminent people. The Queen attended some services. In 1625, Prince Frederic Henry’s wedding took place. In the territory of the church, there is the grave of Fahrenheit, the inventor of the thermometer. The lead sarcophagus with embalmed relics of the monastery founder has been preserved.
»  The church was built in 1397. The religious complex belonged to the Dominican Order.
»  Over the years of its existence, the Catholic Church had become Protestant and reconstructed many times. Long windows have been preserved to this day.
»  The vaulted doorway is 20 m long. The ceiling is almost 12 m high.
»  Monks had lived here until 1574. In 1588, the cavalry regiment occupied the building. Domes and galleries were removed and weapons were molded of them. Ammunition was kept here. One of the shells exploded once. The walls collapsed. Only one wall was undamaged. The monastery served as a hospital.
»  Gradually, the construction had fallen into disrepair. It was decided to demolish the building but worshipers stood up for it.
»  Today, the Kloosterkerk is the house for the Protestant community.