The Court Geest Hofje 1616

The Heilige Geest Hofje at Paviljoensgracht is recognized as the oldest surviving courtyard of its kind in The Hague. Founded in sixteen sixteen by the local church and wealthy citizens, it was designed to house poor women and widows in a centralized location rather than having them scattered throughout the city. The complex consists of four wings arranged around a central garden, and a gatehouse with a regent room was added to the street side in sixteen forty-seven.