Handelingenkamer : Chinese dragon in the Old Library of the Dutch House of Representatives

        Handelingenkamer or Old Library was formerly the library of the Dutch Ministry of Justice. It was later used to keep records of verbatim proceedings and discussions in Parliament. It was built in 1983, the room is 13.5 meters long, 6 meters wide and 9 meters high, and holds 30,000 books.

        It was built in the late 19th century, where no electricity was available and the use of flammable candles or lanterns is not permitted in the library. Therefore, the architect designed the roof to be a leaded glass dome to allow as much light to enter as possible. Although the library is four stories high, the sunlight shines down to the ground. Currently, electrical systems have been installed to add more light.

        The four floors of the library are connected by a circular cast iron staircase, decorated in a Neo-Dutch Renaissance style with Chinese influences. Handrails, railings, fences and various decorative patterns are Chinese patterns, for example, decorated with red-green, gold, hand holding a dragon claw, scales in the roof dome and the dragon's head on the railing.

This former library is now open to visitors as a highlight of The Hague, Netherlands.