Wassenaar

( Listen? / I ) Wassenaar is a Dutch municipality in the province of South Holland, north of The Hague.

Location and economic

The location right on the North Sea coast, surrounded by dunes and forests and at the same time just to the north of The Hague, 10 km south of suffering, but also easy to reach from Amsterdam and Rotterdam, Wassenaar makes it a sought-after place to live. Around 10 % of the almost 25,700 residents are of foreign origin, including many diplomats and employees of international companies and government agencies.

In Wassenaar not only commuters live: on the eastern edge of the village as horticulture. Tourism is also very important. The dunes are part of the storage and production of drinking water for the Hague region.

Historical development

Wassenaar, which was a farming village until about 1700, consists of a small old village surrounded by a partly marshy, partly wooded area, which is just a stone's throw from the North Sea coast. In the 18th and 19th century were created here already several country estates of wealthy families who belonged to the Hague government circles. Around the village have formed in the early 20th century residential area of ​​villas on large plots of land, at the time often used by wealthy urbanites as summer and holiday homes. An important reason for choosing Wassenaar by the wealthier population was 1907, the completion of the train Rotterdam - The Hague - Scheveningen - Wassenaar. In 1923, the traffic situation through the creation of a tram line The Hague - Wassenaar - greatly improved suffering again. The railroad no longer exists now. By bus you can reach Wassenaar every half hour from the Hague Central Station in about 20 minutes.

That Wassenaar has remained an unabated attractive place to live, is today probably also in addition to the fact that the heir Willem- Alexander also decided after his marriage Wassenaar as a place of residence and his family resided on an estate Eikenhorst.

The Kasteel Oud- Wassenaar Wassenaar in 1952 was the scene of the negotiations on the Luxembourg Agreement and 1995 conference for the preparation of the Wassenaar Arrangement, which is used for the control of armaments.

Tourism / Attractions

  • The estate Duinrell west of the town center is a nationally popular amusement park, which is visited by families with children of primary school age.
  • The dune area Meijendel, with visitor center and pancake restaurant, offers the opportunity to make walking and cycling.
  • Wassenaarse Slag is access to the North Sea beach. Furthermore, Scheveningen, just 5-7 miles away at The Hague.
  • In the village center there is an old Romanesque church from the 12th century, as well as some old houses and old farms.
  • In the basement of the town hall, built in 1840 De Paauw there is a fire museum.
  • In the village center is an historic corn mill " Windlust " from 1668.

Sons and daughters

  • Nicolette Mout ( b. 1945 ), historian
  • Theo van Gogh (1957-2004), Director
  • Thom Hoffman ( b. 1957 ), actor and photographer

Sports

  • Equestrian: Racecourse Duindigt, one of the most traditional of the Netherlands
  • Polo Club Wassenaar, the largest membership Polo Club of the Netherlands
  • Hockey: HGC Wassenaar is one of the strongest field hockey clubs in Europe
  • Golf: Wassenaar has several golf courses: Koninklijke Haagsche Golf & Country Club (18 holes, par 72 ), one of the most prestigious golf clubs in the Netherlands
  • Rozenstein (18 holes, Par: 71)
  • Duinzicht Golf (9 holes, Par: 58)
  • Golf department of the sports club De Kieviten (9 holes)
  • Department of Haagsche Golf Country Club Groen Geel (9 holes, Par: 62)
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