Residing in front of the Binnenhof in The Hague, ‘Court Pond’ is an artificial lake known as the Hofvijver. This artificial pond provides audiences with an incredibly serene view of the area but the empty island in the middle of it has the potential to be something much more for the city and nation.
The Binnenhof serves as the Netherlands’ center of government and has done so for centuries. Counted among the Top 100 Dutch heritage sites, the Binnenhof is one of the oldest Parliament buildings in the world still in use and has become one of the top attractions in all of the Netherlands. The appeal of the location goes beyond this history thanks to the natural charm that the Hofvijver represents in the midst of the urban environment.
With a history that stretches back to the late 13th century, the Hofvijver itself is intrinsically linked to the nation and area in a profound manner. Over the centuries it was expanded numerous times. It even supported access to the Binnenhof by moat until the turn of the 19th century. It was around this time that the small island in the middle of the Hofvijver was created.
On the island is a small flagpole along with numerous trees and small plants. Access is strictly controlled and it is not open to the public. The prominence of the island and setting highlight the potential for it to be so much more though. The fact that this small island does not even have a name further highlights the potential it has to be a far more prominent location or contain what could become an icon of The Hague or the Netherlands.
During the wintertime, the Hofvijver is one of the most romantic places in the Netherlands to ice skate, underscoring the potential it possesses to become a place of connection and engagement for both residents and visitors. The Island in the Hofvijver already appears in guides and on pieces of merchandise, highlighting what it would mean for it to become or house a monument that could be further embraced by audiences across the eras.
