An incredible discovery. A 99-year-old time capsule discovered hidden under a statue of King William II during renovations at the Dutch Parliament was opened on Monday, revealing historical documents and books about Dutch battles against Napoleon. Workers renovating the Parliament building in The Hague were surprised to discover a metal box hidden between two walls supporting the king’s plinth.
“It was a huge surprise,” said Sophie Olie, art historian for the city. Wearing white gloves, Mayor Jan van Zanen ceremoniously opened the capsule in a packed room of journalists to reveal its contents: letters, documents and books. “It was a very nice impression of that time. There was a poem for the king and a poem for the city and the country. This takes us back 99 years to 2024,” Jan Van Zanen told AFP.
Another capsule in 2028
This discovery stunned historians who had no idea of the existence of this time capsule. The books are a three-volume account in French of William II’s battles, including the 1815 Battle of Waterloo against Napoleon, by F. de Bas, a famous military historian of the period. The city plans to continue the tradition by installing its own time capsule when the statue is replaced in 2028, the mayor said.
“The idea now is to ask the people of The Hague to advise us on what to put in the box for those who open it in a hundred years,” he said. He will respect the will of the people but said his preference would be to fill the box with “text and some images from today, text about the renovation and a coin […] a euro for example.”