Den Haag Hollands Spoor Railway Station, Hague

Den Haag Hollands Spoor Railway Station, situated in The Hague, holds a significant place in the country's railway history. It is recognized as the oldest train station in The Hague and is located on the crucial Amsterdam–Haarlem–Rotterdam railway line. Unlike The Hague Central Station, this station is not a final stop, making it the second primary station in the city.

The station's history goes back to December 6, 1843, when it was inaugurated following the extension of the Amsterdam–Haarlem railway, which is the oldest railway in the Netherlands, to The Hague. This historic railway line was later extended to Rotterdam in 1847. Interestingly, the area surrounding the station initially belonged to the municipality of Rijswijk and was mostly grassland. Due to Rijswijk's inability to effectively manage law enforcement around the station, the land was eventually transferred to The Hague municipality.

The station's name, Holland Spoor, is derived from the railway company that operated it. This sets it apart from another major railway station in The Hague, Den Haag Rhijnspoor, which was opened in 1870 by a competing company for the Gouda and Utrecht line. However, Den Haag Rhijnspoor was demolished in 1973, making way for the Den Haag Centraal railway station.

The original 1843 building of Hollands Spoor, initially designed by Frederik Willem Conrad, was demolished in 1891. It was replaced by a new Neo-Renaissance structure designed by Dirk Margadant, who is better known as D.A.N. Margadant. This building, which still stands today, reflects the architectural style of its time. An addition to this historical site was the Royal Waiting Room, opened in 1893, further solidifying the station's status as an essential part of The Hague's and the Netherlands' railway heritage.