Haagse Toren The Hague

When travelling I always look for a beautiful lookout point where I can watch a city from above. Although I live in one of the flattest countries on earth, there are some beautiful lookouts to be found in The Hague. One of them is the tower of the biggest church in the city. A climb to the top provides you with a gorgeous view of The Hague and it’s surroundings. You can even sea the ships out at sea!

The tower itself has some stories to tell as well. Together with the church it was build in the 15th century. Since The Hague had no fortifications, the tower was not only used as a clock tower, but also as a lookout to spot enemies at sea. One of my favorite stories is about the steeple, the top part of the tower. In 1861 it was replaced with a completely new, cast iron steeple. It looked beautiful, but apparently no one had thought about... the weight. The cast iron top was so heavy, that cracks started to appear in the walls. To prevent the tower from crumbling, the steeple had to be replaced in 1957. In old pictures of the city you can still spot the tower as it looked before this makeover.

Book in advance if you want to climb the tower. It’s only 321 steps, tour guide included.