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Huis ten Bosch is a Dutch Royal Palace located in Hague.
Huis ten
Bosch History
Early in 1645 Pieter Post, the newly appointed court architect, was
asked to design a house for Princess Amalia von Solms, wife of Prince Frederick Henry, and a
few months later she received permission from the States of Holland to use land on the east
side of the Hague forest.
In September, the same year the first stone of the Huis ten Bosch was
laid. Situated in the former domains of the Counts of Holland, it was developed according to
different criteria from the country houses built outside of The Hague by the Prince
himself.
Huis ten Bosch has a compact, centralized design
based on Italian models. Two suites of apartments are balanced symmetrically around a central
hall, the Oranjezaal (Orange Hall), which rises through three floors and is crowned by an
octagonal cupola.
The single-storey entrance porch, approached up a long flight of steps
and surmounted by a balustraded balcony, stands proud of the main structure. The Oranjezaal was
originally planned as an official reception room, but this changed drastically after Frederick
Henry’s sudden death in 1647.
His widow decided to dedicate the central hall to the glorious memory
of her husband and invited Constantijn Huygens to develop a learned programme of paintings to
celebrate the heroic deeds of the Prince and propagate the dynastic claims of the Orange Nassau
family. The cycle was intended to be akin to that previously commissioned by Charles I in
Whitehall Palace, London.
The decorative scheme of the Oranjezaal, coordinated and partly
executed by Jacob van Campen, was arranged in four parts. On entering the hall, the visitor
sees the largest scene, the Triumph of Prince Frederick Henry by Jacob Jordaens, accompanied by
allegories of peace. Jordaens represented the Apotheosis of the Prince above the main scene
symbolizing his military success.
Opposite, above the entrance, are panels allegorizing the Birth of the
Prince and the new era of cultural excellence and military supremacy that it heralded. On the
two sides of the hall the two main aspects of the Prince’s life are illustrated: his public
role as a general and statesman and his private role as a husband and father. The paintings
were executed by a team of artists under van Campen’s supervision.
Between 1734 and 1737 Huis ten Bosch
Palace was substantially enlarged for Stadholder William IV, through the
addition of side wings designed by Daniel Marot I. Later it was completely restored (1977–1981)
to serve as a residence for Queen Beatrix and her family.
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Huis ten Bosch Photos
Huis ten Bosch, Netherlands
Huis Ten Bosch at night
Huis Ten Bosch Park
Huis ten Bosh, Dutch Royal Palace, Hague, Prime Minister of the Netherlands visit
Huis ten
Bosch Map&Locations
Address: 2594
Haagse Hout, The Netherlands. Get help with directions:
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