The Court Chapel of the Binnenhof




Court Chapel under construction in 1879 (public domain)

The Binnenhof (or Inner Court) in The Hague was once the residence for the Counts of Holland and was also used for the Princes of Oranges. It is now home to both houses of the States General of the Netherlands, as well as the Ministry of General Affairs and the office of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands. One of the surviving features is the Court Chapel.

It was founded in the 13th century and was partially destroyed by fire in 1644. During renovations in 1770 several graves were found, including Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut.

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Her coffins were drawn in detail, including a little casket for her heart. 

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The headdress she was wearing was still complete and in good condition. Unfortunately I cannot find whether or not it was preserved. Some of the best surviving tombstones were preserved and are on display under the Knight’s Hall. The graves were bricked up and the entire chapel was apparently remodelled and converted into offices. Such a shame!

Map of the crypt
Map of the crypt

 

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Photo by Moniek Bloks

All that remains is this plaque on the wall.






About Moniek Bloks 2680 Articles
My name is Moniek and I am from the Netherlands. I began this website in 2013 because I wanted to share these women's amazing stories.

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