An imposing glass and steel roof, repetitive neo-Renaissance facades and gleaming terrazzo floors with opulent decorations, De Passage still exudes the grandeur that its founders – gentlemen in top hats – envisioned at the end of the 19th century. “As of now, The Hague no longer has to envy the glass galleries of its sister cities,” proud Alderman Johan Pieter Vaillant said at the opening on 4 May 1885. A remarkable detail: Vaillant, like many others, sold his own house to De Passage Maatschappij so it could be demolished to make way for the construction of the iconic and now oldest shopping arcade in the Netherlands.

The completion of De Passage, 140 years ago, marked the beginning of the phenomenon of window shopping in the court city. Technical innovations enabled larger facades, allowing the shopkeepers to flaunt their wares in veritable display windows along the lines of Paris. In the covered connection between Buitenhof and Spuistraat, pedestrians were not – and are still not – hampered by heavy city traffic or poor weather. This makes it excellent for taking a leisurely stroll. And that caught on, instead of sending messengers and having orders delivered to their homes, people went out themselves. Each class at its own time: distinguished ladies between 2 and 5 pm, the maids in the evening.

Family businesses

Today, none of that class difference is evident. De Passage, which was given an arm towards Hofweg in 1928 and a breakthrough from Spuistraat towards Grote Marktstraat in 2014, not only connects the different parts of the city centre, but also all sections of the population. And of course, the range of shops has moved with the times. The milk parlours and konditorei of yesteryear have given way to the Apple Store and the Nespresso Boutique.

Read also: A shop concept focused on experience, sustainability and personal service. Nespresso Boutique in De Passage

However, it still houses some special family businesses that have been associated with De Passage for many generations. Fountain pen shop P.W. Akkerman, for example, has been there since 1910 and cigar and gift shop Hamilton at number 9 has also been there for almost seventy years.

What the carefully selected shops, galleries and hospitality venues in De Passage have in common is their personal approach and quality. Here, you find specialist shops of committed entrepreneurs that cannot be found in every city, such as Oldenhof with its extensive range of cookware and tableware and the exclusive cosmetics and perfumes of Parole. The reputable bookshop De Vries Van Stockum swapped Spui for an attractive spot in De Passage a few years ago and soon expanded with an English-language bookshop diagonally opposite.

Sleeping, shopping, eating, drinking, celebrating traditions and discovering the history: you don't even have to leave De Passage to enjoy a fascinating day, as it were. There is plenty to do in every season. For example, there is the annual ShoppingNight on the last weekend of May with discounts and special activities. And in November, De Passage is immersed in a magical Christmas atmosphere. That is also when the lights of the metres-high Christmas tree are lit to the accompaniment of live music and hot chocolate.

“Secret floor”

Furthermore, throughout the year you can book guided tours in Dutch and English that take you to places normally hidden from the public. Some tours even start with a chocolate tasting at Hop & Stork and end with lunch at Gallery61. The guides, who know all the ins and outs of De Passage, take visitors to the “secret floor”, an empty storey above the shops that was occupied by shop owners and staff until the 1990s. It was not an excessive luxury in the early years, considering the shops did not close until around 11 pm back then.

It wasn’t all luxury though, because anyone living there had to cope with the echoing noise from the arcade, and the families had to rely on the roof for outdoor space. “There was a balustrade you could sit on, and we’d wave to the people below,” recalled Paul Jansen, who was born in De Passage as the son of the owner of the once celebrated Hotel du Passage.

De Passage

The open space in the storeys above the Nespresso Boutique clearly shows what life must have been like. The floors still betray where the intermediate walls once stood, the original ornamental ceilings can be seen here and there and some old wallpaper has even been preserved. A blackened door recalls a less fortunate moment in history: the great fire in 1990, which severely damaged De Passage. Due to the limited accessibility of the floors – usually through a shop – it is a challenge to convert the space back into apartments. Though, as a trial, four new homes (one of which is a studio) have recently been realised at the entrance on Hofweg.

Hats

New discoveries are still being made every day when shops are completed and cellars are emptied. Violins and children's toys were found there a few years ago. Many of these finds are recorded in the anniversary book “Stories of De Passage” published on the occasion of the last anniversary. Perhaps the most evocative discovery is of no fewer than 3,000 hats in the vacant space above what until 1998 was The Ladies Paradise, a chic salon where MPs and Queen Juliana and Queen Beatrix bought their hats. The Hague designer Pink Steenvoorden made a playful installation of the headwear, which has already been exhibited twice in De Passage.

The history of the shopping arcade is far from over. With the 10th anniversary of the new section between Spuistraat and Grote Marktstraat in 2024, it is virtually just out of the starting blocks. The striking design by Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi with its distinctive glass roof and green wall accommodates various retail spaces, including clothing shops with the latest fashion trends, such as Mango, Costes, Cotton Club and sneaker shop Snipes. You can also get bubble tea or a healthy smoothie.

Butcher Dungelmann’s deli counter has “resided” here from the very beginning. It is known for its traditional Hague royal croquette and the meat ball sandwich. Here too, they continue to make new, tasty memories every day.

More information: www.depassage.nl