(photograph © Kiwidutch)
Het Gymnasium Haganum is a very well known landmark in The Hague.
It’s one of the oldest public schools in the Netherlands and was founded in1394.
The building as it is known today is in the neoclassical style, built in 1907 and is located on the Laan van Meerdervoort.
Wikipedia also tells us:
In 2005 the school had around 650 students. The school is one of the top schools in the country, according to a yearly survey by Dutch “Elsevier” magazine.
I’m less interested in the schools scholastic merits and more interested in it’s gorgeous architectural details.
Everywhere I look there is one detail or another. I find myself wishing for a tall ladder or better, a small crane so that I can get up high enough to see it all.
Not that I’m any good with heights, but I might be tempted to face my fear for the chance to drool over beautiful masonry, ironwork and tiles.
(sigh) Maybe, had I been a man and lived in centuries previous I could have been a Stonemason. I love adore stone, carving and the smoothness of flowing chiseled forms.
If I won the lottery big time, I could care less for a new, modern, stainless steel and glass mansion.Give me a character building with the baggage of History, crooked walls, doors that lean a little, old tiles, wooden window frames, shutters, deep window sills, window seats, and as much stone, brick and tile decoration as you could squeeze in with good taste.
Oh where to start? This building is dripping with detail, history, atmosphere… too little time, not enough camera battery. I’m in love…
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
The Main entrance gate….
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
The Stork is the symbol of The Hague… he won’t go hungry with that fruit at his feet…
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
The mor you look, the more detail you see… scroll, leaves, Latin and cornices.
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
Beautiful drapery in the clothes and a bird ( an eagle?) at her feet…
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
The dude with the spear sits high up in the facade by the roofline… the tower is just in view.
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
Portraits and laurel wreaths set around the archway.
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
