During my sightseeing tour through the city center of the Dutch metropolis of The Hague, the seat of the government and the king, I also passed the Oude Stadhuis, the Old Town Hall. This building is one of the most significant Renaissance buildings in the Netherlands and was built between 1561 and 1565, modeled on the town hall in Antwerp. The Old Town Hall stands on a very special site. In the 14th century, it was the location of the castle of the noble Brederode family. However, they were expropriated by Duke Albrecht of Bavaria, Count of Holland, because they were said to have been involved in the mysterious murder of his mistress, Adelheid van Poelgeest. The property became the property of the municipality of The Hague, which used it as a village hall until the decision was made to build a town hall there. An extension of the Old Town Hall in the Louis XIV style was carried out from 1733 to 1739 according to the plans of architects Daniel Marot and J. B. Xaverij. In 1883, the town hall was expanded again. After that, a new town hall was built to meet current conditions and requirements. Today, it is only used for representative functions such as the birth announcements of Princesses Amalia and Alexia or for civil weddings such as that of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard on January 7, 1937. The Oude Stadhuis is a striking building with a fascinating facade of stepped gables. The statues attached to it, symbolizing the divine virtues of faith, love, hope, justice, and strength, are particularly noteworthy. Another highlight are the painted windows, which depict the history of the country in 20 images. These were created for the 700th anniversary of the town hall. The Old Town Hall in The Hague, with its magnificent facade, is a real city landmark and rightly ranks among the most important Renaissance buildings in the Netherlands.
