The Hague City Hall (Stadhuis)

The basics

With its soaring glass atrium and stark white design, City Hall is an architectural highlight of walking and cycling tours of The Hague. In addition to government offices, it is home to the tourist information office and municipal library, making this contemporary landmark one of the most visited buildings in the city. Its atrium is the largest in the Netherlands, and important cultural events, concerts, and exhibitions are held beneath its glass roof throughout the year.

Things to know before you go

• A favorite stop for architecture enthusiasts, City Hall is also where visitors to The Hague can get tourist information for exploring the city.

• The building’s restrooms, cafés, and library are open to the public.

• The atrium is one of the city’s main exhibition spaces; events held here are all free of charge.

• The city hall is completely accessible for visitors in wheelchairs and strollers.

How to get there

The Hague City Hall is located in the city’s downtown. A number of tram and bus routes stop directly outside the entrance, while The Hague’s Den Haag Centraal and Den Haag Hollands Spoor (HS) train stations are about a 10- to 15-minute walk away. For those arriving by car, there are several parking garages within walking distance of the building.

When to get there

The City Hall is open Monday through Saturday and stays open late on Thursdays. One of The Hague’s largest and most popular exhibition spaces, the atrium often hosts public concerts, lectures, art exhibitions, and other events; check the City Hall website for the upcoming calendar and schedule your visit to catch one of the free events.

The Hague’s ‘new’ downtown

Over the past few decades, The Hague has developed a new downtown area adjacent to its atmospheric old town that has become a showcase for Dutch and international contemporary architects. In addition to Richard Meier’s City Hall, the district is home to the award-winning Het Strijkijzer skyscraper known as the "flatiron," the glass-enclosed Centraal train station, and massive modern government complexes like the Nieuw Ministerie and Ministerie van Vroom. Trams and elevated trains run through tunnels built directly into the ground floor of many of these new buildings, giving the entire area a futuristic look.