Hague's Monuments Tour (Self Guided), Hague

Gebroeders Maris is a monument erected to pay homage to the Maris brothers for their contribution as artists to the culture of Holland. Each of the three brothers held a position at The Hague School. Jacob became well known for his sceneries and depictions of towns. Matthijs’s style was more creative and ingenious, while Willem achieved success predominantly through his artwork depicting cows and ducks.

The monument of van Karnebeek was erected in 1916. Abraham Pieter Cornelis van Karnebeek, who lived from 1836 until 1925, was an equerry and Dutch conservative politician. During his career, he was a diplomat and an official Commissioner King in Zeeland. He was later Minister of Foreign Affairs. From 1890, he was an active Member of Parliament of Rotterdam and later Utrecht. While in Parliament, he voted against compulsory education.

The World Peace Flame is a prominent symbol of mankind's shared desire for peace. It was installed in 2004. Hundreds of people came together to make this futurist dream into a true mark of hope for all of the human race. It was an extraordinary gesture of solidarity. The stone represents the desire and commitment for peace and was inaugurated in 197 countries around the world. In April 2004, ambassadors from a number of different countries joined together to give their approval to a Joint Statement for Peace.

Nassauplein is a long rectangular square in the Archipelago Area that has only 37 houses. Initially, there was a moat, but in 1883 it was vaulted. There are many houses here built in the eclectic style of the 19th century, a number of which are private buildings. There are also numerous public buildings, including several embassies and the Dutch-German Chamber of Commerce. Here you can find a museum named Damesleesmuseum that was founded in 1894. The museum provides you the opportunity to read peacefully and broaden your horizons. A little bit further along the square, there is the Lord's New Church and two very old monuments.

The Plein 1813 is in the middle of Willemspark. In the square there are multiple memorials, one of which commemorates the victory over Napoleon and the foundation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 2004, the statue was renovated and now looks beautiful. The National Memorial on Plein 1813 recalls the foundation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1813. Another landmark there is the memorial erected in 1869.

The Monument of Independence is situated on the roundabout and a square called Plein 1813. It is one of the most famous symbols of The Hague. The monument consists of many elements and has several inscriptions. It is a broad, square pedestal where a bronze statue of a victorious Dutch woman rests. On the front is the statue of William I and on the sides there are three characters who led to his failure. On both sides are some female figures.

The Statue of Queen Wilhelmina is found on the Paleis Noordeinde. Wilhelmina was born on August 31, 1880. She was Queen of the Netherlands between 1890 and 1948, leading the Netherlands for a term of fifty-eight years. Her reign was the longest of all Netherland’s monarchs. Her period of influence was during the First and Second World Wars, the economic turmoil of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as an important colonial empire. Outside of the Netherlands she is mainly remembered for her role in World War II, as she struggled greatly for the Dutch people.

This equestrian statue of William I was recently restored. It dates back to 1924. The statue is located in the historic part of The Hague and is illuminated at night. William I was King of the Netherlands from 1772 to 1843. The statue is in a beautiful location, surrounded by greenery and in close proximity to most of The Hague’s touristic attractions, including museums, places of worship, and medieval and modern buildings.

The statue of Johan de Witt was made in 1916. It is located at De Plaats in The Hague. The statue depicts Johan de Witt's two fingers pointing at the location where he was assassinated in 1672. Johan de Witt was a significant Dutch political figure. His leadership in 1654 led to peace with England. De Witt was also involved in peace treaties with Breda in 1667 and Alkmaar in 1667. On June 21, 1672, he was stabbed but lived through this first assassination attempt. On 20 August 1672, however, Johan de Witt was assassinated. Witt’s thumb and the tongue of his brother can be found in The Hague Historical Museum.

The unveiling ceremony of the equestrian statue of William II was held in 1924. The statue was created by the Luxembourg designer A. Mercenier (1845-1916). Prince William II is depicted as the supreme commander of the army. At the corners of the pedestal are four allegorical figures. At the base of the monument was a leaden casket. Inside the casket were two biographies of King William II from 1849 and 1852. The casket was removed temporarily in 1993 for restoration, but it was unfortunately affected by moisture and irreparably damaged.

The Frog with Umbrella is an attractive sculpture in an accessible location. The huge statue is near to a gallery of sculptures in the core of the city. The sculpture 'Frog with Umbrella' was a present from a foundation on The Hague's 750th anniversary. The inauguration of this sculpture was one of many celebrations held around the city for the anniversary.

The monument to Willem van Oranje is located on Oranje Plein. Willem was one of Holland's favorite emperors. He was a leader of the noble resistance and a supporter of religious freedom in the Netherlands. After converting to Protestantism, he led the military rebellion against the Catholics, yet he always insisted on religion tolerance. On December 31, 1564, William van Oranje addressed the Council of State, saying, "I cannot approve of a kingdom that wants to rule over the conscience of its people and take away their freedom of religious belief."

This monument was raised to honor Hertog Karel Bernard van Saxen Weimar (1792-1882) who was son of the Grand Duke Karl August. He received an excellent education, which later enabled him to earn an honorable name in the field of literature. At the age of fourteen, he was a volunteer in the battle of Jena in Hohenlohe, and when his father joined the Rhine Confederation he joined as well. As Major of the General Staff, he participated in the field expedition in 1809.