In 1903, the American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated $1.5 million (almost $40 million in today’s money) for the construction of a Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The building would become known as the Peace Palace and eventually house several international courts.
An architectural competition was held for the design. Renowned architects from around the world, including the Netherlands’ own Hendrik Petrus Berlage and Willem Kromhout, submitted ideas. France’s Louis M. Cordonnier and his Neo-Renaissance palace were chosen as the winners.
But the proposal had to be modified to fit the project’s budget. The four clocktowers Cordonnier had originally envisaged were reduced to two. The law library, which Cordonnier had wished to house in a separate building, was incorporated into the palace itself.
Designs for the Peace Palace in The Hague In 1903, the American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated $1.5 million (almost $40 million in today’s money) for the construction of a Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.