Cultural sightseeing in Netherlands. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

» 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 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 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.

» 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.

» The authorities established the cultural institution in 1847. It is aimed at seeking and buying artistic canvasses of global significance.
»  The museum was founded on the initiative of the lawyer Frans Jacob Otto Boijmans. However, the fire destroyed some exhibits. Only 127 items have left.
»  In 1958, the fund of the museum increased due to the presents from the ship industrialist Daniël George van Beuningen. He gifted 189 picturesque canvasses, 17 drawings, and 30 statues.
»  The museum bears the double name of its patrons.
»  The building of red brick was built by the project of the Dutch architect in 1935.
»  The museum houses 140 thousand paintings created from the 15th century to nowadays. Here, you can also see sculptures, sketches, and other items made by craftsmen of applied arts. Different engravings on metal are interesting too.
»  The museum was visited by members of royal families and political figures. Salvador Dali was satisfied with rare exhibits.
»  The construction is located in the center of the Garden of Sculptures. In the territory of the exhibition area, there are a library and a restoration zone. In the library, researches are carried out.

» In the city, there was the Big Church, as the citizens called it.
»  When the confrontation between Protestants and Catholics resulted in the victory of the Catholic Community and the Netherlands became independent, it was decided to build the new House of God. It was named “Nieuwe Kerk”, which means “New Church”.
»  The exterior should have matched rites of a new religion.
»  The locals asked the city council for building the church. The religious building started to be constructed near the river channel in 1649. The construction lasted 17 years.
»  According to the architect’s plan, the exterior of the building combines Renaissance and classic architectural styles.
»  In the room, there is an organ made in 1702.
»  In 1969, it was necessary to reconstruct the building to preserve its exterior and inner rooms. After the reconstruction, the church has been used as a concert hall.
»  In the church cemetery, there is the grave of the Dutch philosopher Spinoza. He came to The Hague to hide from the Jewish community, with which he argued about religious justifications.