Grafelijke Zalen, Gothic palace at Binnenhof, The Hague, Netherlands
The Grafelijke Zalen is a Gothic palace at the heart of the Binnenhof in The Hague, made up of several connected halls including the Ridderzaal, the Rolzaal, and the Kelderzaal. The halls are built in brick with high vaulted ceilings and narrow stained-glass windows that give the building a clearly medieval character.
The palace was built in the 13th century as a residence for the Counts of Holland and formed the original core of what later became the Binnenhof complex. Over the centuries it passed through many hands, was used for different purposes, but kept its Gothic structure throughout.
Every year on the third Tuesday of September, the Ridderzaal hosts the opening of the Dutch parliamentary year, known as Prinsjesdag. People gather outside to watch the procession while members of parliament meet inside to hear the speech from the throne.
The building is currently closed for renovation, so a visit inside is not possible at this time, but the exterior can be seen from the Binnenhof courtyard. The surrounding area is open to the public and offers a clear view of the facade from outside.
The Kelderzaal, which sits beneath the Rolzaal, is one of the few surviving medieval basement rooms in the Netherlands that was still used for official functions until recently. Its low vaulted ceiling shows building techniques that changed very little since the 13th century.
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