**Visit one of the most important buildings of the Dutch democracy. **
At the centre of the Dutch democracy, you will find the Ridderzaal (literally: Knight Hall). The national monument is the main building of the 13th-century inner square called Binnenhof (Inner Court), where most offices of the Dutch ministeries are located.
The Ridderzaal is used for the annual state opening of Parliament on Prinsjesdag (Little Prince Day), when the Dutch monarch drives to Parliament in the Golden Carriage and delivers the speech from the throne. Besides this the Ridderzaal is used for official events such as royal receptions and conferences.
Originally, the Ridderzaal was the party hall of the count's castle and had a wooden roof. This roof was demolished in 1860 and replaced by a steel construction with glass, but twelve years later, this roof was again replaced with a replica of the original roof. The portal and the two spires of the Ridderzaal were added in 1880 during a restoration by the Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers (who also designed Amsterdam Central Station and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam).
Tips and Tricks
- If you are interested in visiting the Ridderzaal, you can do a tour where you can also see the rest of the Binnenhof and the House of Representatives. You can ask about this at ProDemos, the visitor centre that is located across the Ridderzaal.
Getting there
- By tram: line 6 (stop: Spui)
All seasons
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