It has a lot of potential ! <| sep |> The explanation is in wikipedia . The Hague originated around 1230 , when Count Floris IV of Holland purchased land alongside a pond , the presentday Hofvijver , in order to build a hunting residence . In 1248 , his son and successor William II , King of the Romans , decided to extend the residence to a palace , which would later be called the Binnenhof Inner Court . He died in 1256 before this palace was completed but parts of it were finished by his son Floris V , of which the Ridderzaal Knights ' Hall , still intact , is the most prominent . It is still used for political events , such as the annual speech from the throne by the Dutch monarch . From the 13 th century onwards , the counts of Holland used The Hague as their administrative centre and residence when in Holland . The village that originated around the Binnenhof was first mentioned as Haga in a charter dating from 1242 . In the 15 th century , the smarter des Graven hage came into use , literally The Count ' s Wood , with connotations like The Count ' s Hedge , Private Enclosure or Hunting Grounds . ' sGravenhage was officially used for the city from the 17 th century onwards . Today , this name is only used in some official documents like birth and marriage certificates . The city itself uses Den Haag in all its communication