The Hague Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Hague

In the 16th century, Italian writer Lodovico Guicciardini described The Hague as “the most beautiful, richest, and biggest village in Europe.”

The origins of The Hague date back to around 1230, when Count Floris IV of Holland purchased land near a dune lake, later known as the Hofvijver. The city name, The Hague, traces its origin to “the Count’s hedge”, referring to a wooded hunting estate established by the Counts of Holland. The Hague means “the hedge.”

His son, William II of Holland, began constructing a residence there, which would evolve into the Inner Court, still the heart of Dutch politics today. By the late Middle Ages, the settlement had become the administrative seat of the Counts of Holland, attracting courtiers, officials, and craftsmen.

Unlike many Dutch cities, it was never granted full city rights in the medieval period, yet it grew into one of the most important administrative centers in Europe. Despite lacking city rights, The Hague continued to expand. During the Dutch Republic in the 16th and 17th centuries, it became the seat of the States General. In the 19th century, under the Kingdom of the Netherlands, The Hague was officially designated as the seat of government, even though Amsterdam remained the constitutional capital. This dual role continues today.

Walking through the center of The Hague, you’ll pass the historic Inner Court, where the Gothic Knight's Hall anchors a courtyard beside the Hofvijver. Nearby, the Mauritshuis Royal Picture Gallery displays Dutch masterpieces in a compact palace setting. A short walk leads to Escher in The Palace, filled with optical illusions, before Main Market Square introduces a livelier stretch of shops and modern city rhythm.

So Guicciardini’s “biggest village in Europe” was never a small place in meaning. The Hague may have lacked walls and formal medieval city rights, but it carried the weight of court life, government, and decision-making. As you walk its courts, squares, and streets today, that old contrast still holds: a city that began as a count’s hunting estate, yet grew into the political heart of the Netherlands.