Not much is known about Binnenhof but that’s the intriguing mystery of this place. Situated in the Dutch city of The Hague adjacent to Hofvijver pond, Binnenhof is a complex of official state buildings and parliaments. History has it that the grounds on which this complex stands now was bought by Count Floris V in 1229, after which only his residence was built. Many years later, his successors expanded the area by constructing more and more buildings around it, like the famed Ridderzaal, House of Representatives, and Office of the Prime Minister.

However, when Holland fell into the clutches of the Burgundian Empire in the early 15th century, Binnenhof was abandoned but not for long as it quickly became the heart of Dutch politics when the country was seized back around a decade later. Ever since then, parliament meetings have been taking place here even to this day – the Binnenhof is home to the Houses of the State Generals of the Netherlands, the Ministry for General Affairs and even the office of the Prime Minister. As such, the Binnenhof is considered to be oldest House of Parliament in the world to be still in use.

Another interesting fact about this place is that the frequently-visited central courtyard was once used as an execution site – did we scare you there? Don’t worry; we’re sure the ghosts of the past have nothing against curious travellers. Truly a window to Holland’s past and certainly its future, Binnenhof is a national treasure.