A dune landscape, that was the Archipelbuurt until the end of the 18th century. The Archipelbuurt was very different at that time, there was hunting for game, there were some mills, there were always cows grazing and there were a number of residents' vegetable gardens.
This has changed since the 19th century. This was due to the arrival of the French in 1795, but due to the royal family in 1815. There was prosperity, which brought many people to The Hague. Even though the Willemspark had been constructed a short time before, there was already a great need for housing.
Until the end of the 18th century, the area where the Archipelago is now located was a dune landscape. There were several estates, there was hunting, there were mills, cows were grazed and there were some vegetable gardens. A new barracks was built. The soldiers also needed a place to live. Just like the smithy, tailors, washerwomen and so on. There was a difference in the streets. The officers lived on the wide streets and the 'normal' people on the narrow streets. Sand and shells were brought to the city by ships, and many new buildings were built here too. The Archipelbuurt, together with Willemspark II, is one of a total of 19 protected cityscapes in the city of The Hague.
The streets Javastraat, Laan van Copes van Cattenburch and Riouwstraat run parallel to the Hague coast. These streets run perpendicular to Scheveningseweg, Surinamestraat, Nassauplein and Bankastraat.
Until 1861, the Javastraat was called the Laan van Schuddegeest. The street was paved and widened in 1885. Today it has a wide and a narrow segment. The old Town Hall is located on the wide part, several embassies have established themselves here, some offices and also private homes. The narrow part is used by restaurants. The Javastraat forms a division between Willemspark and the Archipelbuurt.
The Riouwstraat runs through the entire Archipelbuurt. About half way there is Bankaplein with a fountain in it. There are a number of beautiful villas on this square.
Constantijn Huygens designed the Scheveningseweg. This street was constructed in 1665 and is the southwestern border with the Archipelbuurt.
The two squares, Nassauplein and Burgemeester de Monchyplein, together make a fascinating comparison between the old and the new.
The most beautiful street in The Hague, dating from 1881, is the Surinamestraat. Louis Couperus lived in this street with his parents. During this period he wrote his famous novel 'Eline Vere'. The main character in this story lived at Burgemeester de Monchyplein. If you want to move to The Hague, switch one moving company The Hague in.
The Bankaplein divides the Bankastraat into 2 parts. The 'great' and the 'low' (1873). The 'low' part runs to Laan Copes, the 'large' part runs to the Scheveningen groves.
The rest of the neighborhoods/parts consist of smaller roads with minimal traffic, which is why they are quiet residential locations.