pinterest pin De Terp van Leidschenveen, Den Haag, the Netherlands

Prologue

Every time someone sees this picture, they ask me, "Where did you shoot this? Was it in Iceland? Switzerland? Austria? Norway?" They find it extremely hard to believe when I tell them that this beautiful little white church on the hill is located in this flat, low-lying country of the Netherlands. Oh, wait! It's not actually a hill, but a typical Dutch man-made mound (terp) in Leidschenveen, a suburban district of Den Haag or The Hague, the administrative capital of the Netherlands!

Welcome to ‘De Terp van Leidschenveen’

High on a green mound, sandwiched between the hustles and bustles of a highway, a railway, and a new neighborhood, stands a small, austere white chapel as a beacon in the landscape. The clock in the tower echoes the time in its own way, creating a serene ambiance amidst busy city life.

Mounds (or 'Terps') are part of the Dutch landscape. For centuries, the Dutch have tried to protect themselves from floods and attacks by erecting such mounds. The mound that the church now stands on was formerly a garbage mound that now partly serves as a noise barrier. In this way, art, architecture, science, and landscape were merged together by Dutch engineering!

little white church on the hill de terp van leidschenveen or the mound of leidschenveen in den haag the hague in netherlands holland shot at sunset during golden blue hour

A ‘Church’ with a Perspective

The building attracts your attention and, at the same time, illudes you. The dimensions of the chapel have been chosen in such a way that it initially resembles a regular simple church. Since there are no references, no bench, lamppost, or tree, only a high mound covered with clipped grass, you can't realize the true size of the structure. This is further enhanced by the wide pyramidal shape of the mound, which increases the perspective effect. It is only when one approaches the structure closer that it becomes clear that the image you expect has shrunk. However, the artwork is more than just an optical trick. The white building is abstracted of religious elements or symbols and therefore is technically not a ‘church’ but a secular icon!

History behind the construction of ‘De Terp van Leidschenveen’

Stroom Den Haag, an active center for visual arts and architecture, approached the designers Laurens Kolks and Dennis Lohuis from the Eindhoven Design Academy, specialized in creating spatial experiences and the interaction between man, object, and activity, for an art commission on a strip of polluted land on the edge of a new housing estate. And thus, in an era when many churches were being demolished, a new church was built in Leidschenveen, near The Hague.

To me, ‘De Terp van Leidschenveen’ is a standing proof that when the elements of form, color, and proportion are fused diligently within an urban context, it gives birth to art that not only amazes but also works. In the last two decades, the creative fraternity of the country has seen more such boundaries merging. Artists interested in architecture are getting involved in landscape design and vice versa. Designers who accepted art commissions have moved towards autonomous visual art. The Dutch sculptor Louise Schouwenberg wrote in her article in the Metropolis Magazine in 2010 that artists and designers should learn to look beyond the most obvious solutions. She argues that multidisciplinarity interpretation does not benefit from merging different domains but from raising awareness of the mutual differences!

What to do at ‘De Terp van Leidschenveen?’

Reach there during sunrise or sunset and marvel at the light of the rising or setting sun falling on the white church, making it appear to change its color with every passing moment. Walk across the bridge, up to the church, sit down on the footsteps, and enjoy the serene view until the next hour when the clock strikes. The church itself is empty from the inside and cannot be viewed. If you live close by, you can also bring your dog here for a walk like the locals.

How to visit ‘De Terp van Leidschenveen?’

Address: Molenpolderstraat, 2493 VA, Den Haag

GPS Coordinates: 52.0571° N, 4.4075° E

Parking: Street Parking (usually available)

Public Transport: Take a train to reach Den Haag Laan van NOI train station. Then take tram 34 from outside the station towards Lansingerland Zoetermeer, get down at Leidschenveen, and walk for 15 minutes to reach the spot.

Best time to visit: During sunrise or sunset.

Map from Wanderlog, a trip planner app on iOS and Android

Epilogue

So that was the story about ‘The little white church on the hill’ in The Hague. Please let us know in the comments below if you enjoyed reading this article.

And if you want to explore more such hidden gems in the Netherlands, please read our article Netherlands Off The Beaten Track | 34 Best Hidden Gems in the Netherlands, or if you want to know about more such places to take fantastic pictures in the Netherlands, please read our article Instagrammable Netherlands | 33 Best Photography Locations in the Netherlands | 33 Top Photo Spots in the Netherlands. Until then, merry traveling and happy shooting!