Palace Huis Ten Bosch, The Hague


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Duc_et_Pair said:
It remains a mystery that a palace which had been extensively restored in the 1980's needs such an immense operation again.
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I was thinking the same thing as I read your post. The palace was renovated not that long ago so why this need for a new massive renovation so soon? Only reason I can think of is that they messed up last time and for instance closed of any possibilities of natural ventilation leading to moist & rot in the structure of the house.
 
JR76 said:
I was thinking the same thing as I read your post. The palace was renovated not that long ago so why this need for a new massive renovation so soon? Only reason I can think of is that they messed up last time and for instance closed of any possibilities of natural ventilation leading to moist & rot in the structure of the house.
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According the site of the Rijksvastgoedbedrijf (State Estate Agency) there was no restoration in the 1980's.

In WWII the park of Huis ten Bosch was used by the Germans as a launch base for V1 and v2 missiles directed at England. Retaliating raids heavily damaged the park and the building. Picture of Huis ten Bosch at the end of the war. You can see the bunkers in the park.

From 1948 until 1957 the damages to the park and the building were repaired.

From 1977 to 1981 there were "modernization of installations" (so no lentghy restoration as often thought) = picture

From 1998 to 2001 the Oranjesael (picture) was restored

From 2016 to 2019 Huis ten Bosch is undergoing major maintenance as well restoration works: picture.
 
eya said:
The renovation of the Palace continue. Two aerial pictures from August 23

http://0.t.cdn.belga.be/belgaimage:125994449:1800x650:w?v=59b39d05&m=ocmmllha
http://2.t.cdn.belga.be/belgaimage:125994443:1800x650:w?v=59b39d05&m=cddfcdnn
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I have never expected the renovation of the palace to be só costly. Together with the restoration of the Oranjesael (11 million) the whole project will have cost 74 million Euro. In essence for just a relatively little palace. ( :eek: ).

Soon the restoration works will start for the Inner Court complex (picture), which is budgetted on no less than 500 million Euro. ( :eek: )
 
I suppose they are not renovating the Hall of Knights, as that was done a few years ago? The Orange Hall is the most elaborate interior of the country, The Inner Court has nothing that can be compared to it.

It would not be surprising if the costs for the Inner Court will also exceed the budget. It always does.. ;).
 
Marengo said:
I suppose they are not renovating the Hall of Knights, as that was done a few years ago? The Orange Hall is the most elaborate interior of the country, The Inner Court has nothing that can be compared to it.

It would not be surprising if the costs for the Inner Court will also exceed the budget. It always does.. ;).
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But what is Huis ten Bosch? The Oranjesael with some state rooms in the central part, the original 17th C building. Plus two wings with beautiful salons, private appartments, guestrooms and that is it.

Huis ten Bosch is relatively small but maybe the quality is so exceptional. Anyway, everything connected with the Royal House (the maintenance of Huis ten Bosch, of De Groene Draeck, of the Glass- and the Golden State Coach, of a quay and a fence in Greece, or a pied-à-terre for Princess Beatrix, or the new airplane: all of these with unbelievable prize tags. I have a heart for the monarchy, but indeed: seeing these spendings, no wonder the Dutch Royal House is one of the most expensive...:eek:
 
When there is no incitament to keep prizes down there's no need to. I was at a student association budget meeting yesterday and the constant overspending by the administration is horrendous but there's no incitament to save because nobody tells them too. Maybe it's the same with the Oranjees? Nobody has told them to economize so the thought that they should be more careful with their spending hasn't occurred to them.
I'm not familiar with how the debate is in the Netherlands but if it had been in any other European monarchy constant overspending would've been a disaster PR-wise. Are all these houses and palaces paid for by the Royal house or by a Government agency?
 
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By coincidence I learned that from 1959 until 1980 former Prime Minister, Captain-at-Sea (Ret) Petrus Jozef Sietse ("Piet") de Jong lived at the 's-Gravenhaagse Bos 12 in The Hague. That is one of the staff houses in the park of Huis ten Bosch Palace.

Picture

"Strange, for a Prime Minister, to live in a grace-and-favour house of the Queen" was my thought. I learned that Captain-at-Sea De Jong was an Aide-de-Camp to the Queen before he became State Secretary for the Navy (1959-1963), Minister of Defense (1963-1967) and Prime Minister (1967-1971).

Apparently the Queen offered the staff house to her Aide-de-Camp but did not evict him when he ended that function. In 1980 the former Prime Minister moved to Park Marlot in The Hague.

Picture - Captain-at-Sea P.J.S. de Jong leaving Soestdijk Palace - in his time as Aide-de-Camp to Queen Juliana.
 
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The Palace restoration is due to be completed later this year ,is there any news on a possible finish date?
 
An Ard Ri said:
The Palace restoration is due to be completed later this year ,is there any news on a possible finish date?
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It is in the planning that the King moves to Huis ten Bosch at the end of this year.

The natural hardstone has been removed from the outside stairs and will be replaced with new hardstone (picture)

This was the 17th C hardstone, cracks are visible (picture)

The dome of Huis ten Bosch is completely covered in scaffoldings (picture)

The copper tiles of the dome have been removed because the woodwork of the dome will be renewed (picture)

The stucco in the Marot Chamber: the cracks have been "crabbed out" and will be refilled with new stucco (picture)

Detail of the stucco in the Chinese Salon, already cleaned (picture)

Also the tympanums are in restoration (picture)

New copper rain gutters for the building (picture)

The 1970's climate control is removed from the 17th C building (picture)

Bad parts of the fundaments are drilled away (picture)

Replacement of bad parts (picture)

Wood rot in some of the 17th C beams (picture)

It will be a lot of work before Huis ten Bosch will be ready again (picture)
 
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The Huis ten Bosch work must be costing a fortune! Would it be better to tear down and build new?
 
The estimated cost is 59 million euros. Several millions go towards the removal of asbestos that would also be needed if they had decided to tear it down (and I sincerely doubt that would be cheaper to tear down and completely reconstruct a palace with both living quarters and representative quarters - and why tear down such a historic (it dates from 1645!) building?)


The main issue is that hardly any maintenance was done over the last 30 years, so it makes sense that they want to do it well this time before the king moves in with his family. Moreover, anticipated maintenance that would be needed within 10 years is done right now to avoid higher costs down the line.
 
Susan D said:
The Huis ten Bosch work must be costing a fortune! Would it be better to tear down and build new?
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Um, I don't think 'tear down and build new' was ever an option regarding such a historic palace, or any historic architecture dating over 100 years old. It's either careful renovations, or let it be.
 
Susan D said:
The Huis ten Bosch work must be costing a fortune! Would it be better to tear down and build new?
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It is a fortune but the State's Cultural Heritage Agency has a budget for it. For an example the Dom in Utrecht (picture) will get 30 million for the restoration. Soestdijk Palace (picture) will get 45 million Euro. The Central Station in Amsterdam (picture) will get 50 million Euro. And even historic infrastructural works like the Maastunnel in Rotterdam, the eldest tunnel in the Netherlands (picture) gets subsidy (262 million Euro). Soon the Inner Court Complex in The Hague (picture) will be restored for 475 million Euro. The preparations are under way. So it is just what the Dutch find worth preserving (or not).
 
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I had not known that Utrecht is such a big city. (Thanks for the photograph.) About my comment, I question the cost of the European monarchies. It must be costing so much to fix up that palace! Is it worth it? Mind you, what you're saying is that everything costs a fortune so why not the royal palaces too!!
 
Last weekend the several emergency services held a drill at the grounds of Huis ten Bosch Palace. Among them were the fire brigade, ambulance, police and the royal marechaussee.

The drill was held in anticipation of the move of the king and his family to the palace. According to the RVD the services were "practicing for a situation that may occur when the family is living in the palace. The drill is held to keep the services sharp. If there ever is an incident on the grounds they will know what to do".

https://www.brandveilig.com/nieuws/oefening-hulpdiensten-op-paleis-huis-ten-bosch-56498

**
The king supposedly will move in around christmas time, though the lack of recent information perhaps means that it is delayed.

I hope we will at least get to see some good photos of the renovated official rooms.
 
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eya said:
Renovation work at Huis Ten Bosch Palace, The Hague on 17 December

https://www.rexfeatures.com/livefeed/2018/12/17/renovation_work_at_huis_ten_bosch_palace,_the_hague
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The brick walls and the roofs look like brand new. The guilding on the dome and at the ornaments is sparkly. It will be a fabulous residence for the King.

This year's Christmas Address will come from Noordeinde Palace, not from Villa De Eikenhorst. Because of the move, both De Eikenhorst as well Huis ten Bosch Palace are not suitable to record the Christmass Adress (which is always larded with exterior views from the park).

So this years Adress will be recorded in Noordeinde Palace, in the city of The Hague.
 
Nice to see that the palace is almost done. It looks very good indeed.

I don't believe the palace had three flag poles above the main entry before, I wonder why that is? A Dutch flag in the middle and the standards of the king and queen to the sides?
 
Marengo said:
Nice to see that the palace is almost done. It looks very good indeed.

I don't believe the palace had three flag poles above the main entry before, I wonder why that is? A Dutch flag in the middle and the standards of the king and queen to the sides?
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I think the Royal Standard in the middle, but during State Visits the national flag and the flag of the visiting country are flown as well at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. Maybe they will introduce the same flag-protocol at Huis ten Bosch?

I prefer the old situation with only the Royal Standard.

I see the windows are now in dark paint. It looks more historical indeed. They did the same in Amsterdam: white windows replaced by brown windows.

Old situation with white windows: https://duurzaamgebouwd.lingacms.nl...ng-voor-renovatie-huis-ten-bosch_1_33Q4dK.jpg

New situation with dark-painted windows:
https://www.rijksvastgoedbedrijf.nl...haagse-bos-10-rvb-corne_-bastiaansen-9050.jpg

The Royal Palace before the restoration, dirty walls and white windows:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...am.jpg/1280px-Koninklijk_Paleis_Amsterdam.jpg

The Royal Palace after the restoration, clean walls and brown windows:
https://media.iamsterdam.com/ndtrc/Images/20101125/7e4a86f3-a549-4e6a-a44a-a45e7bfb23d6.jpg
 
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Yesterday the news had a short item about Huis ten Bosch. If the royal family loves Villa Eikenhorst so much, why move to this palace then? Answer by Paul Rem, conservator of Het Loo: because the King is head of state to whom several palaces are at disposal. Huis ten Bosch is for centuries linked to the dynasty, build for Frederik Hendrik van Nassau, Prince of Orange, and his spouse Amalia von Solms. The King is expected to maintain a royal state and to uphold the dynastic dignity.

By the way: the palace will not be finished in 2019. Only the private apartments. The renovation and restoration works continue in the state rooms. For the move a sort of party tent has been set in front of the palace, so that the costly furniture and artworks loaden from vans into the building keep dry.

Anti-terrorism obstacles (sinkable into the alleys leading to the building) have been constructed. The original cast iron fence has been replaced by a moated anti-terrorism fence around the whole complex. The vulnerable parts are the gates, but there bullet proof glass panels have been constructed, so that the royal family and high guests can feel safe.
 
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Duc_et_Pair said:
Yesterday the news had a short item about Huis ten Bosch. If the royal family loves Villa Eikenhorst so much, why move to this palace then? Answer by Paul Rem, conservator of Het Loo: because the King is head of state to whom several palaces are at disposal. Huis ten Bosch is for centuries linked to the dynasty, build for Frederik Hendrik van Nassau, Prince of Orange, and his spouse Amalia von Solms. The King is expected to maintain a royal state and to uphold the dynastic dignity.
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Why doesn't the Royal Family move back then to the Het Loo Palace, which is far more befitting to the "dynastic dignity" than Huis ten Bosch ?
 
Seems like this restoration work will go on for ever at the Huis ten Bosch Palace.
 
Mbruno said:
Why doesn't the Royal Family move back then to the Het Loo Palace, which is far more befitting to the "dynastic dignity" than Huis ten Bosch ?
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With exception of Queen Juliana (who used Huis ten Bosch for representation but lived at Soestdijk Palace) all Princes, Stadtholders, Kings and Queens have had their residence in The Hague, the seat of Government, Parliament, the High Colleges of State, the departments, etc.

Het Loo was primarily a countryside retreat for the Oranges. Only Princess Wilhelmina (in the period 1948-1962) used it as her main residence. As Queen she also used the same two palaces as WA: Noordeinde and Huis ten Bosch in The Hague. Noordeinde is also the largest palace despite the optical illusion of the 16th C façade of a city mansion.
 
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An Ard Ri said:
Seems like this restoration work will go on for ever at the Huis ten Bosch Palace.
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From what I can see, it is more finishing touch which needs to be done: from new silk wallhangings to cleaning, re-wiring and re-gilding the chandeliers, from carefully placing back restored doors with Japanese lacquer to re-laying the cleaned and restored parquet floors etc. The technical installations, the climate control, the new windows and doors, the new lighting scheme, the marble ornaments, the stucco works, the roofs, drainage, pipings, all seem ready now. So probably in Summer 2019 it will be finished.

Like at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, also all furniture is carefully checked, cleaned, restored, re-upholstered, piece by piece, in specialized ateliers. No wonder it takes time. After this, gigantic restoration works will begin at the Inner Court complex where Parliament houses. The restoration of Huis ten Bosch did cost 63 million Euro. The Inner Court will at least cost 10 times more. But tja, it is national patrimonium.
 
Apparently the move is expected some time next week. The exact date is unknown.
 
The new dark-painted doors and windows. The marble stairs have been completely de-constructed and returned (with replacement of cracked marble parts). The big glass lanterns are probably in the atelier for re-gilding:
https://www.rijksvastgoedbedrijf.nl...haagse-bos-10-rvb-corne_-bastiaansen-9367.jpg


The sun-clock in the fronton looks fresh again, the golden needle is carefully taped:
https://www.rijksvastgoedbedrijf.nl...haagse-bos-10-rvb-corne_-bastiaansen-8359.jpg


The dome in the ballroom is as new. The three coloured dots are for the chandeliers to be hanged there:
https://www.rijksvastgoedbedrijf.nl...haagse-bos-10-rvb-corne_-bastiaansen-8285.jpg


Detail of the dome in the ballroom:
https://www.rijksvastgoedbedrijf.nl...aagse-bos-10-rvb-corne_-bastiaansen-02051.jpg


New wiring behind the woodwork in the Marot Chamber (the white dining room):
https://www.rijksvastgoedbedrijf.nl...haagse-bos-10-rvb-corne_-bastiaansen-9061.jpg


The re-gilded weather vane on top of one of the chimneys of the East Wing where the King has his private appartments, showing the A of Anne (of Great-Britain and Hannover, The Princess Royal and Princess of Orange) with the British crown:
https://www.rijksvastgoedbedrijf.nl...aleis-htb-s-gravenhaagse-bos-10-rvb-08368.jpg


Electricity, ict, domotica are up-to-date now:
https://www.rijksvastgoedbedrijf.nl...elektra-wordt-vernieuwd-foto-rvb-dsc_8023.jpg


New technical installations in the appartments of the King (East Wing):
https://www.rijksvastgoedbedrijf.nl...ing-wassenaarse-vleugel-foto-rvb-dsc_7997.jpg
 
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The photos in the gallery of the Rijksvastgoedbedrijf show that they have been very thorough. And it also shows that the renovation was highly needed. The details show that the palace was in a much worse condition than it seemed, both on the outside as on the inside.

https://www.rijksvastgoedbedrijf.nl/vastgoed/projecten-in-uitvoering/den-haag-paleis-huis-ten-bosch

It is no wonder that it took them several years to complete.

I hope that there will be a documentary about the renovation and perhaps a tour of the state rooms. I also hope that the king will start using the palace more frequently for public functions than his mother did, so we get to see these wonderful rooms more often. During the later years of Beatrix' reign we usually only got to see the portrait of Amalia of Solms & the door of the white salon, where she posed with guests.
 
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Marengo said:
The photos in the gallery of the Rijksvastgoedbedrijf show that they have been very thorough. And it also shows that the renovation was highly needed. The details show that the palace was in a much worse condition than it seemed, both on the outside as on the inside.

https://www.rijksvastgoedbedrijf.nl/vastgoed/projecten-in-uitvoering/den-haag-paleis-huis-ten-bosch

It is no wonder that it took them several years to complete.

I hope that there will be a documentary about the renovation and perhaps a tour of the state rooms. I also hope that the king will start using the palace more frequently for public functions than his mother did, .
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Have state dinners ever been held at Huis Ten Bosch ? It looks like they are always held at the Noordeinde Palace or, more often, at the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, which, sorry to say that to our fellow Dutch posters, is pretty subpar compared to what other Royal Houses in Europe have available to them for state events.
 
Mbruno said:
Have state dinners ever been held at Huis Ten Bosch ? It looks like they are always held at the Noordeinde Palace or, more often, at the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, which, sorry to say that to our fellow Dutch posters, is pretty subpar compared to what other Royal Houses in Europe have available to them for state events.
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Since the major restoration a decade ago, and having seen palaces in London, Brussels and Madrid, I think qua interior, exterior, decoration, furniture, artworks and technical state the Royal Palace Amsterdam is in supreme state. From frescoes to marble floors, from chandeliers to elevators, from the wallhangings to curtains, all is in five star hotel state, which they can not say about Buckingham where nets have to prevent visitors for falling stones, about Brussels where in the vestibule the smell of damp, mould fundaments is apparent or about Madrid where so many objects are lacklustre because of faded guild, dust and furniture or curtains are visibly worn out. The guest appartments at the Royal Palace Amsterdam are so updated that they can stand any comparison with the grand hotels in town.

The latest State event at Huis ten Bosch was a diner for heads of state visiting the Nuclear Summit in The Hague: https://images3.persgroep.net/rcs/P...=21791a8992982cd8da851550a453bd7f&quality=0.9

No any Dutch palace has the logistics (hall, kitchens, antichambres, garderobe, etc.) for a mass diner, only the one in Amsterdam and Noordeinde in The Hague:
https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/binar...6-inkomend/staatsbanket-koninklijk-paleis.jpg
 
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Will the kings and their daughters move to this palace?
 
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