Churches in Haarlem....

The 158-foot (48-meter) tall Bakenesserkerk tower was built in 1530, while the church itself dates back to the 15th century.

The municipality of Haarlem bought the church in 2008 to house the Haarlem Archeological Service...

...which clearly inspired this modern stained glass window.

I’ve always been impressed with the exterior of St. Bavo’s Church in the Grote Markt...

...but this was the first time I’d been inside. Construction started in 1370 and finished in 1520. This organ features around 5,000 pipes. When it was built in 1738, it was the largest organ in the world.

The wooden ceiling was particularly beautiful.

I visited several other churches, including St. Joseph’s, which opened in 1843.

Cool Buildings in Haarlem....

The Gerechtsgebouw, district courthouse for Noord-Holland, was built in 1890 in a neo-Renaissance style, with its mission statement for all to see above the entrance: Justice.

While many of the courtrooms were rather sterile, this one had a lovely ceiling. 

It was great fun when a volunteer helped me into judge’s robes.

Couldn’t pass up taking a selfie with this Haarlem resident.

Haarlem has lots of beautiful historic buildings...

...and lots of cool old signs...

...and plaques.

Open Monument Day in Haarlem...

The following weekend Jimmy was helping Veronica move, so I went alone to Haarlem for Open Monument Day before going to a FILTH Hash that afternoon. I stopped by the tourist information office to ask about a suggested route to see the open buildings and they kindly suggested that I leave my backpack with them to lighten my load.

My first stop was the Haarlem Stadhuis, which is rumored to be the country’s oldest city hall. Dating back to 1370, it was filled with incredible objects including this beautiful clock...

...a giant whale bone...

...stained glass...

...elaborate carvings...

...gruesome artwork (the King’s eye is being removed after the Prince was accused of a crime and the King shared the penalty)...

...and beautiful tiled fireplaces.

It was especially impressive to get to stand in the Gravenzaal (Count’s Hall), which has been used for city council meetings for over 600 years. 

Normally the only way I could take a selfie inside this incredible building would be to be invited to one of the many weddings performed there. As that’s unlikely to ever happen, I was lucky that it’s open to the public annually.

Art Off the Beaten Path...

On my way back to Den Haag Centraal, I came across this eerie statue...

...before turning down a pedestrian walkway between a bunch of apartment buildings.

I came across yet more artwork including this large face...

...and several men walking across arches between the buildings.

Route of the Golden Carriage...

Every year on the third Tuesday of September, the King travels in The Hague from Noordeinde Palace to the Ridderzaal (Knight’s Hall) in a golden carriage to deliver a speech to open Parliament. For the first time, I finally joined some ladies from the AWC to walk the route and learn a bit more of the history. This road, Molenstraat, isn’t actually on the route, but I figured it was worth including because of the many Dutch flags.

Unfortunately, I’ve lost the handout which identified many of the buildings we saw, such as this lovely step-gabled building...

...and this pretty door. 

 

This is the Cabinet of the King, a small government organization which assists the King in the performance of his constitutional duties including arranging his contact with members of government.

I loved the reflections on the Hofvijver, which was very still but also had a lot of leaves. This artificial pond, first dug out in the late 13th century, was fed by a spring from a nearby dune lake.

The Mauritshuis, my favorite museum in the world, was originally built in 1641 as the private home of Count Johan Mauriits van Nassau-Siegen, who made his riches by trading in sugar cane in Brazil. In 1704, most of the interior was destroyed by fire; it was rebuilt by 1718. In 1820, it was purchased to house the Royal Picture Galley and was opened to the public in 1822 as a museum.

The Ridderzaal was built in 1280 as a party hall for the Counts of Holland. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was used as a lottery hall and an exercise room for cadets. It was restored in 1904 in a Gothic Revival style.

Lastly, the Binnenhof (Inner Court) houses both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Built primarily in the 13th century, it is among the oldest Parliament buildings still in use in the world. It will be undergoing extensive renovations from 2020 until 2025. 

Looking Up in The Hague...

During a walking tour of The Hague with the AWC, I decided to look up for a change and was pleasantly surprised by all the beautiful buildings, many of which are above shops,

Kneuterdijk Palace is a former royal palace built in 1716. After World War II, Dutch war criminals were tried in the former ballroom. Since it was renovated in 2001, it has housed the Council of State (Raad van State), which dates back to 1531 as an advisory body on legislation and highest general administrative court.

I loved how the clouds were reflected in the old glass windows of the Kloosterkerk (Cloister Church). Originally built in 1397 as a Catholic church, this building dates from 1540 and was transformed into a Protestant church after the iconoclasm of 1566.

Moving Day...

Veronica arrived in Exeter from Cornwall the night before she was moving her belongings into her new home. She’s lucky that there’s a train station less than a ten-minute walk away from her new house.

Even better was that her landlord was sweet enough to loan her some sheets so she could spend the night in her incredible new room.

The following day, her dad showed up to help her move all her belongings from her storage unit to her new house. Her new place is so kitted out that most of her belongings are stuck underneath her lovely iron bed. Afterwards, they hit the town...

...including getting cocktails at a super cute cocktail bar.

It was a short visit for Jimmy, as the next day Veronica was starting classes wearing appropriate overalls covered in bees for her Master’s Degree in Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Exeter.