Named after the Jewish student, George Maduro, who fought against the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands and died at Dachau concentration camp, Madurodam’s establishment was funded by his family, so as to create a “little city with the smile” and help fund treatment for tuberculosis patients. The Madurodam, since its renovation in 2011-12, has been divided into three themes: “water, as a friend and an enemy,” “historical cities,” and “The Netherlands as an inspiration for the world.”

Even though it features important Dutch monuments like the Binnenhof (the seat of the government) and the Rotterdam port, Madurodam is more than a collection of small attractions: inspired by Bekonscot, the oldest model village in the world in England, the park was created in The Hague and is treated as a real town. The then-Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands was appointed Mayor of this miniature city, and upon becoming the Queen of the actual Netherlands, relinquished her role. Since then, the city council, inclusive of the youth council consisting of students of The Hague, has been annually appointing mayors of Madurodam. Everything, including the trees and the people replicated in Madurodam, are scaled down realistically.

There are even little residents of Madurodam, model figurines who change into t-shirts in the summer and warm clothing in the winter. Recently, more and more multicultural figurines wearing traditional garb of other countries have been added, to show the reality of immigration and diversity in the Netherlands. A strange and adorable place, well-loved by both children and adults, the Madurodam is so much more complex and intricate than a mere Lego city with its accurate models and interactive features.