Royal Palace

Royal Palace on Dam Square

Amsterdam is the capital of The Netherlands. The Royal Palace in Amsterdam (Koninklijk Paleis te Amsterdam in Dutch) is one of three palaces in the Netherlands which is at the disposal of Queen Beatrix by Act of Parliament. It is situated in the west side of Dam Square in the centre of Amsterdam, opposite the War Memorial and next to the Nieuwe Kerk.



Built between 1648 and 1655 as the Stadhuis (Town Hall), this was later chosen to be an official residence of the royal family. A sculpture on the rooftop depicts Atlas shouldering the globe.

The construction of the Royal Palace was begun in 1648 and completed in 1665. The building was designed to serve as a town hall. Jacob van Campen is the architect responsible for the overall design, while Daniël Stalpaert, the city architect, was put in charge of the technical realisation. After Van Campen's quarrel with the city administrators, he left the city. In 1654 Stalpaert was appointed project manager in charge of the entire operation. Artus Quellijn, the Flemish sculptor, and his associates completed the sculptures. However, at the time of the opening ceremony, in 1655, the project had not been fully completed yet. It would take another ten years to finish the entire operation, whereas the internal decoration was an ongoing process that continued till well into the 18th century.



At first sight the Royal Palace on Dam square doesn't seem very royal, and doesn't even look like a palace at all. Except for official receptions it is not used much. In summer you can take a guided tour of the palace, the highlights of its interior being the Empire furniture Bonaparte left behind, and paintings by Rembrandt's pupils Govert Flinck and Ferdinand Bol.



Interior of Royal Palace, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Royal Palace in Amsterdam is now used mainly for entertaining and official functions, such as state visits, the Queen’s New Year receptions and other official receptions.

Every year, it provides the setting for the presentation of the Erasmus Prize, the Silver Carnation, the Royal Awards for Painting and the Prince Claus Award.

The foundation that manages the palace opens it to the public when it is not in use by the Royal House. Every summer, an exhibition highlights one historical or artistic feature of the building. Following the annual presentation of the Royal Awards for Painting in October, the prize-winning works of art are put on public display.

During the guides tours the symbolic meaning of the various works of art in the building is explained. The Royal Palace also appeals to children. They will be fascinated by the enormous ballroom, the study Atlas, and the snakes and lions made of stone, about which many entertaining and educational stories exist. Guided tours are also given for children, during which amusing tales are told about the things that used to happen in the Palace. Depending on the age of the children, they can look for the animals hidden in the sculptures and paintings, or imagine they are distinguished figures of the past living in the Palace.