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What if I told you that I saw all of the Netherlands’ major cities in one day?
You wouldn’t believe me…
Well, it’s true…or almost.
For years, I have seen ads for Madurodam in the Hague, the capital city of the province of South Holland, and I always thought that it would be an interesting place to visit. With no other plans for the day, it was time…
Although it was quite cool outside, the sun was out and I was in the mood for an adventure. Heading out early to the train station, I was soon on my way to the Hague and Madurodam.
After arriving at Den Hague Central Station, it was a short wait for Tram 9, which would take me to Madurodam.
Jumping off of the tram at my designated stop, I stopped to admire the modern architecture while approaching the building. Purchasing my ticket, I walked from the lobby into the miniature park…wow…the Netherlands in 1:25 scale!
Opened in 1952, the park is named for George Maduro, a Jewish law student from Curaçao. After fighting the Nazi occupations forces as a member of the Dutch resistance, he died at Dachau concentration camp and was the only person of Antillean descent to be awarded the Knight 4th-class of the Military Order of William. After World War II, his parents donated the necessary capital to build the park in honor of their only son and a replica of his birthplace in Curaçao was added to the park in his honor.
Madurodam, visited by millions of people each year, is the perfect place to experience everything that makes Holland so unique. Divided into three themes, Water, As A Friend and An Enemy, Historical Cities and The Netherlands As An Inspiration For the World, the park showcases canal houses, tulip fields, a cheese market, a wooden shoe factory, windmills, the Peace Palace and the Delta Works…all in miniature.
As I walked through the park, I must admit, my first impression was that I was visiting an attraction probably best enjoyed by the younger set. Had I traveled all this way by mistake? Once I arrived at the Schiphol Airport exhibit with its moving airplanes, (even Delta’s) however, I was enthralled.
Having traveled throughout the Netherlands, I have seen much of its beauty and many of its municipalities. As I moved to the rear of the property with reproductions of many of the Netherlands’ cities, I developed a game to check out each city exhibit before reading the accompanying signs and identify it by its buildings and landmarks. As an avid photographer, I especially enjoyed positioning my camera to get the best shots of these tiny cities…with the results, in some cases, you have no idea that you are looking at a photo of a model, so detailed are the displays.
When obtaining your tickets upon entry, a chip card accompanies your purchase. At many of the exhibits, there are informative aspects…swipes of the card trigger bridges, factories, fires on oil tankers, televisions stands showing brief video footage, in-depth information, light shows and my favorite…playing DJ at the concert venue!
There are two restaurants on the property, a cool playground for children, and an extra large scale display of the Netherlands’ most widely identifiable object…the tulip. Here, you can sit among these giant tulips for countless photo opportunities.
Another attraction, explains the beginning of the Netherlands in 1572. Hof van Nederland (Dutch Court) is located at the rear of the property and unlike the small-scale displays, is life sized. The best part of the entire park, however, is that the entirety of the net proceeds from the park go towards various charities in the Netherlands!
One should always remember that while it is absolutely a wonder to visit the landmarks of this fabulous country, you can never forget what makes it truly special…its people. While touring Madurodam, pay close attention to the tiny people in each of the displays showing the real life of the Dutch. The “residents” of Madurodam have become a bit more diverse over the years, depicting those who have migrated from other countries. My favorite tidbit of information pertaining to these residents is that they reflect the changing environment. In the winter, they wear sweaters and coats and in summer, t-shirts!
So, go to the Hague…release your inner child and see all of the things that make the Netherlands famous…the Rijksmuseum, the Binnenhof, Schiphol, the Port of Rotterdam, traditional Dutch canal houses, tulip fields and windmills. It’s the best way to see the country…especially if you are limited with your time!
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Madurodam
- https://madurodam.nl/en/
- Address: George Maduroplein 1, 2584 RZ Den Haag, The Netherlands
- Hours: Jan 9-Feb 24, 1100-1700, Feb 25-Mar 5, 1000-1700, Mar 6-Mar 22, 1100-1700, Mar 23- Sep 3, 0900-2000, Sep 4-Oct 31, 0900-1700, Nov 1-Dec 23, 1100-1700, Dec 24-Jan 7, 1100-2000
- Admission: Day ticket, €16.50 (Online, €14.50), Children (ages 0-3), free,
- Getting There: Tram 9 from Den Haag Centraal Station towards Scheveningen Noorderstrand, stop Madurodam. Tram 9 from Hollands Spoor Station towards Scheveningen Noorderstrand, stop Madurodam. Bus 22 from Scheveningen beach towards Duinzigt, stop Plesmanweg or by Tram 9 towards Vrederust, stop Madurodam.
- Scheveningen beach: by bus 22 towards Duinzigt, stop Plesmanweg or by tram 9 towards Vrederust, stop Madurodam