Other Definitions
scheveningen (dest)
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Scheveningen Scheveningen is part of Den Haag. It is a modern bathing resort with a long sandy beach and a pier. A nudist section is 1 km to the north. The harbour is used both for fishing and tourism. Scheveningen Pier History The earliest reference to the name 'Sceveninghe' goes back to around 1280. The first inhabitants may have been Anglo Saxon. Other historians favor a Scandinavian origin. Fishing was the main source of food and income. A road with neighouring Den Haag was constructed 1663 (current name: Scheveningseweg). In 1470 a heavy storm destroyed the church and half of all houses. The village was again hit by storm on November 1 1570, in 1775, 1825, 1860, 1881 and in 1894. After this last storm the villagers decided to build a harbor. Until then, the fishing ships had a flat bottom ('bomschuiten'), and were pulled upon the beach. Around 1870 over 150 of these ships were in use. When the harbor had been constructed in 1904, more modern ships replaced the 'bomschuiten'. In 1818 a man called Jacob Pronk built a wooden building on a dune near the sea, from where people could bathe from 4 separate rooms. It marked the start of Scheveningen as a bathing place. Since then, Scheveningen has attracted numerous tourist from all over Europe, notably from Germany. The hotel / restaurant Kurhaus was opened in 1886. Events/Attractions Annual events include: - winter swim on New Year's Day
- Flags Day in spring when the first new herring of the year is auctioned
- fireworks in summer: once a week and several days during a festival week
A visit to Scheveningen can include: - The Sea Museum
- The 'Pier'
- The 'Beeldenmuseum' (Sculptures)
Trivia The name Scheveningen had been used as a shibboleth during WWII to identify German spies: they would pronounce the initial "Sch" differently from Dutch native speakers. In chess, the Scheveningen is a variation of the chess opening known as the Sicilian Defense, first played in a tournament in Scheveningen. The International Skating Union was founded in Scheveningen in 1892.
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