Palace Noordeinde, The Hague

[Tina]

Paleis Noordeinde - Den Haag

 

[Janet]

I returned yesterday from a short break in the Netherlands with my husband.

As you can imagine I tried to fit in as much royalty as possible.

We were actually staying in Amsterdam but made a day trip to The Hague which
impressed me so much more than Amsterdam. We took a royal bus tour which showed
all of the royal sites of The Hague. I greatly enjoyed this and would advise anyone
visiting The Hague to do this. On our walk around the town I was struck by a
restaurant called Maxima’s garden. I loved the Dutch parliament buildings, the Peace
Palace and the Hans Holbein exhibition in a gorgeous mini palace close by.

I was stunned by the Nordeine Palace. It seemed completely out of place and very
small. I was quite shocked to find an ice crean van sitting outside the gates but it was
very nice ice cream!!!

 

[Marengo]

Some images from the halls in Palace Noordeinde:

first picture from: teamuitstapje.nl
second one from: foto.denhaag.org
last one from: reformatorischdagblad.nl

 

[Marengo]

Palace Noordeinde was on fire in 1947, here a picture from Corbis.

Queen WIlhelmina always hated that palace, which reminded her of her isolated youth (Juliana never used it either and Beatrix only started using it, after renovations in 1984). During the war Wilhelmina once asked an airman: I don't suppose you could throw one on Noordeinde Palace' (meant as a joke of course). In 1947, when a courtier told Wilhelmina that the palace was on fire, she replied: now you don't think that I lighted that fire, do you?

 

[Iain]

Paleis Noordiende

In old photgraphs of Paleis Noordiend there are no gates. Does anyone know when and why the gates where erected?

 

[Marengo]

I believe that they only appeared after Beatrix decided she wanted to use the palace, so during the restoration from 1980-1984. Before that the palace was terribly neglected (as both Juliana and WIlhelmina disliked it) and even used for the school of Social Studies.

 

[Iain]

I believe that they only appeared after Beatrix decided she wanted to use the palace, so during the restoration from 1980-1984. Before that the palace was terribly neglected (as both Juliana and WIlhelmina disliked it) and even used for the school of Social Studies.

Thank you Marengo. I think if the gates where not there it would mean more people could see the Queen when she appears on the balcony on Prinsesdag. It is a bit of a crush.

 

[Marengo]

Thijs at the Alexander Palace forums is a real treasure. He posted pictures of Palace Noordeinde, The Hague as well.

Staircase with a painting of King Willem I:

The library. On the left a paining of future King Willem III with his brother Alexander. On the right their brother Hendrik with Sophie, future Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar:

The great dining room with paintings of the descendants of King WIllem I:

 

[Marengo]

The Marot dining room:

a detail from the dining room:

the balcony room:

pictures again provided by Thijs on the Alexander palace forum.

 

[Marengo]

The first red salon, on the wall a portrait of Queen Emma:

The first red salon in the days of Queen Wilhelmina, when it was still the great antichambre:

The second red salon in the days of Queen WIlhelmina, when it was the audienceroom:

pictures provided by Thijs at the Alexander Palace forum.

 

[Marengo]

The first state guestroom, the portrait shows Empress Catherine II, the great of Russia:

Fireplace of the first state guestroom. Note the painting in the mirror. It is Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia, mother of Queen Anna.

the second state guestroom:

again pictures provided by Thijs at the ALexander Palace forum.

 

[Marengo]

Here two pictures the drawingroom of Prince Hendrik, husband of Queen Wilhelmina. The pictures provided by Thijs at the Alexanderpalace forum:

Another picture of the drawingroom. On the wall pictures of his mother and grandmother and himself. The landscape is probably his native Mecklenburg:

 

[Henri M.]

Noordeinde, the Queen's 'official residence' in The Hague

Noordeinde is quite a strange palace. Someone who will not know better, might think: 'Ugh... how small...' while it is quite a big building.
The architects managed it to hide the large extensions so, that the 16th century stately residential house remained completely intact.

Click on the pictures to enlarge.
The pictures are stored on my Photobucket account.

Noordeinde, the 'Old Court' build 1533, making it one of Europe's eldest royal residences in original architecture from 1533.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m7/Boerenfoxx/noordeinde3.jpg

front cour of the Old Court at Noordeinde,
Noordeinde means: 'end of the north (avenue)'
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m7/Boerenfoxx/noordeinde12.jpg

The majestic gate of Noordeinde, with the Queen's arms
http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m7/Boerenfoxx/noordeinde1.jpg

The front cour of Noordeinde, with guards
http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m7/Boerenfoxx/noordeinde6.jpg

Backside of Noordeinde, the large additions were build in 1814
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m7/Boerenfoxx/noordeinde10.jpg

The main entrance at the backside
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m7/Boerenfoxx/noordeinde2.jpg

The Queen leaving Noordeinde at the backside:
the man in blue is a footman in daily tenue
the man in jaquet is one of the Queen's secretaries
the man in costume looks like a bodyguard from the escorting security car
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m7/Boerenfoxx/noordeinde9.jpg

Noordeinde is situated in the middle of densely populated The Hague. Not visible from the street is a hidden treasure: a wonderful park at the backside.
The park is partly accessible for the public. In the park there are also the building of the Royal House Archives and the Royal Stables.
You can see the tower from the main entrance to the Stables between the trees.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m7/Boerenfoxx/noordeinde11.jpg

The main entrance from the Royal Stables in The Hague (seen from the public street).
Also this building is build around the invisible royal park behind Noordeinde.
http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m7/Boerenfoxx/noordeinde14.jpg

The Royal House Archives. All valuable and antique books, miniatures, drawings, etc. are stored in this special building. In the 1990's Princess Juliana privately funded millions for a spectacular enlargement deep into the ground, to keep the park intact. Items from the more than 600 years of Orange-Nassaus in the Low Countries are safely stored here. The director is directly supervised by The Queen.
http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m7/Boerenfoxx/noordeinde15.jpg

 

[Marengo]

Pictures of palace Noordeinde, the parc and stables here:
Noordeinde palace

 

[Marengo]

The documentairy about ther Prince of Orange showed that Palace Noordeinde and the office of the Prince both continue in buildings that were built next to it (on both sides of the palace). So that would mean that the Palace is renting out the lower spaces to shopkeepers Here a building that is part of the complex: http://www.denhaag.nl/Pics/dso/Monumentenzorg/Q12.JPG

 

[lucien]

The documentairy about ther Prince of Orange showed that Palace Noordeinde and the office of the Prince both continue in buildings that were built next to it (on both sides of the palace). So that would mean that the Palace is renting out the lower spaces to shopkeepers Here a building that is part of the complex: http://www.denhaag.nl/Pics/dso/Monumentenzorg/Q12.JPG

A bit O/T,sorry for that.This used to be the venue of the Couture House of the late Ernst-Jan Beeuwkes.A very charming and kind man who passed away a few years ago.I know at the time,it was his property,had been for decades in the family.Quite possible his partner sold it to the RH.Next door to the right is where the Postbus 51 shop used to be.

 

[Marengo]

Well, judging tfrom the documentairy it seems that the office of the Prince of Orange is in that house now. Couture from The Hague, sounds so enormously chique and rather Eline Vere-like

The royal website has some information in Dutch about the palace, look here.

And take a virtual tour of the palace here.

 

[Marengo]

Posted by Joris on the Benelux Royals MB:

Although announced ages (

) ago, now the new book about Noordeinde Palace will be launched next month, February 2008. It's a bilingual book, so I bet that some will order it because the palace was/is the setting of many royal events (Waanders).
Here's some information by the publisher:

 

[Marengo]

The Ballroom, copyrights expired:

And a picture of the white room, here.

 

[Marengo]

A website with the floor plan of the palace:

Indeling Noordeinde 1e verdieping

Courtesy: John R at the BRMB

 

[COUNTESS]

Beautiful and lovely.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I think of all the Dutch residence's that the Noordeinde Palace is my current favourite!

 

[Warren]

Sorry guys but a large number of images have been removed from this and other threads because the images have been hotlinked.

Hotlinking, otherwise known as direct linking, is very poor internet etiquette. It is akin to an attack on another website by draining that site's bandwidth. It is a practice that is actively discouraged here at TRF.

The free image-hosting sites such as Photobucket, ImageShack etc are specifically designed to host hundreds of millions of photographs and should be the first choice for image-hosting when members wish to illustrate a thread with linked photographs.

Thanks for everyone's cooperation,

Warren
TRF Admin

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Look at this salon in Noordeinde Palace:

Queen Máxima, June 17th 2015

There are two almost identical green salons, only the fireplace and the chandelier show the difference.

This one at the left side of the 19th C extension at the backside of Noordeinde Palace and which leads to the King's study (the white furniture in the far-away room through the door).

This is the 19th C extension. You can see two L-shaped wings from the central loggia. The fireplace has a round opening and the chandelier is relatively simple.

The other one at the right side of the same extension. The fireplace has a square opening and the chandelier is more elaborate in comparison with the "twin salon" at the other side of the 19th C extension. This antichambre leads to the Gallery Hall and is used to assemble before entering that hall for a banquet. (It is one of the smaller venues at Noordeinde for a banquet).

 

[lucien]

Noordeinde Palace will be open to the public for the first time in decades this summer!!

Wonderfull news!

Beleef Paleis Noordeinde

 

[Marengo]

I suppose so. D66 (political party) can stop whining about it at least. Now let's see if it will really attract the hurds of international tourists that they predicted. I doubt it.

I don't think that there is that much to see in the palace that is interesting art-wise since much of it burnt down in the 40-ties or was replaced in the 19th century. But the tea pavillion by Marot must be nice enough.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I admire the King for his pro-activity in this case. It seems that already in 2013, in the first year of his kingship, he requested an investigation about the desired opening of Noordeinde Palace to the public. The newspaper De Volkskrant Mr Filip Maarschalkerweerd, Director of the Royal House Archives, excused for the long time this investigation took: Noordeinde Palace is historic heritage and questions of logistic, technic, finances and security needed to be responded.

Mr Maarschalkerweerd and his commission reported to the King that Noordeinde Palace could be opened in summer holidays. The King then decided to open it during a limited time. After all it is a full working residence, not a museum. Not the whole palace will be opened, mainly the 17th C part (picture) will be opened. This incudes the ballrooms, the King's study, the balcony chamber, the gallery hall, the King's Stairs, the Indian Chamber, etc.

Large parts of the 19th C extension (picture) which includes the guest wing and thee wing with the offices and appartments remain closed for the public. Also the Royal Mews near Noordeinde Palace (picture) will be opened.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I'd never seen or come across photos of the 19th century extension ,just the facade with the balcony that we are used to seeing.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Yes, it is at the backside, the 19th C addition is waaaay bigger than the original 16th and 17th C corps-de-logis, which gives the optical illusion that Noordeinde Palace is just a mansion and nothing more. When standing in front (picture), no one would guess it is such a big building. It even hides hidden courts with maximum privacy for the royal family, in the middle of a crowded city: picture. We only see the 19th C extension when a head-of-state is welcomed on the courtyard there: picture. The neighbourhood sees the large extension like this: picture.

 

[Stefan]

I think it is good that Noordeinde Palace will no be opened in the Summer Holidays. An i also think it is enough that the rooms which are used for official Events are opened. There is no need to see the offices and guest appartements. In other Palaces who are open to the Public these are also not open except for the Royal palace in Stockholm where the State Guest Appartements can be visited.