Inside the Amsterdam Palace

Does the Dutch Queen Live in Amsterdam Palace?

No. The Queen of the Netherlands, Queen Beatrix, lives in a royal residence called Huis ten Bosch Palace, located in the northeastern part of the Dutch city of Den Haag (The Hague). Her main offices are also located in Den Haag, at Noordeinde Palace.

Brief History of Amsterdam Palace

The Koninklijk Paleis, or Royal Palace of Amsterdam was originally built as a town hall for Amsterdam’s administrative and judicial authorities. In 1648 the burgemeesters (mayors) and magistrates of Amsterdam commissioned the famous architect Jacob van Campen to design their new building.

With the signing of the Treaty of Münster in 1648, the new town hall was envinsioned to be a monument to peace that had returned to Amsterdam after an 80-year war against Spain.

From Town Hall to Royal Palace

The building served as the city hall for some 150 years. In 1806 Louis Bonaparte, Emperor Napoleon’s brother, became King of Holland. He first lived in The Hague, but in 1807 he moved to Amsterdam, which was of greater economic importance. In 1808, he took the city hall on Dam Square as his Royal Palace

After the fall of Napoleon in 1813, Prince Willem of Orange, later King Willem I, returned the palace to the city of Amsterdam. After his investiture, however, the new King realized the importance of having a home in the capital and asked the city authorities to make the palace available for royal use once again. It was not until 1936 that the building became state property.

The Citizens’ Hall

This is the heart of the town hall. It served as a meeting place for the public. It is 90 feet high, 120 feet long and 60 feet wide. Here a visitor would literally have the world on his feet as the eastern and western hemispheres are depicted on opposite sides of the floor with the map of the northern sky in the center, in marble inlay.

Above the entrance, on the east side of the Citizen’s Hall across Atlas’ sculpture is the Personification of Amsterdam beneath the sculpture of Peace. Her attributes, sprigs of olive and palm, symbolize peace and prosperity. The two women seated beside her signify wisdom and strenght.

The Tribunal

The tribunal presided over by the magistrates and sheriff was used solely for pronouncing the death sentence. The hearings were held elsewhere and the room was purely ceremonial. The municipal secretary occupied the alcove where on the backrest of his desk was an allegory of death, represented by a skull and three weeping children.

The magistrates would be seating here in front of four marble carvings standing on collums with three scenes of metaphors of justice. These female figures were emblems of guilt and remorse in both Greek and Roman traditions.

The burgomasters would watch the proceedings from their chamber overlooking the tribunal and would them confirm the sentence.

The Burgomasters’ Chamber

The window where the burgomasters used to watched the proceedings at the Tribunal below them, is nowadays, fitted with glass.

The Magistrates’ Chamber

This is where the sheriff and magistrates held office and proclaimed new laws. The overmantel painting is by Jurriaan Ovens depicting Justice seated in between two tormented souls that personify Greed and Envy.

The opposite end of the Magistrates’ Chamber. The painting Moses Descending from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments of Rembrandt’s pupil Ferdinand Bol hangs over the enormous fireplace. This room later became The Throne Room.

The Council’s Chamber

The lavishly decorated Council’s Chamber is where the thirty-six councillors convene on an ad hoc basis, the meetings being chaired by the burgomasters. The painting on the left is by Jan van Bronchorst showing Jethro advising Moses to elect a council of seventy leaders to help him lead the people of Israel into the wilderness. The painting Solomon Prays for Wisdom by Govaert Flinck hangs above the fireplace in the north wall of the Council’s Chamber.

Details of the painting Moses by Jan van Bronchorst.

Close-up view of Solomon Prays for Wisdom.

The Bankcruptcy Chamber

The Bankcruptcy Chamber was founded in 1643 to wind up insolvent estates. Its commissioners mediated beween debtors and creditors and tried to help them reach an agreement. This was one of the services the city provided for the business sector.

Empire in the Palace

T he palace was decorated and furnished in the style of the time, called Empire because this style was the fashion at the time of the emperorship of Napoleon Bonaparte. The decorating and furnishing of an Empire interior was also of architectural character. The furniture was placed as much as possible, symmetrically against the walls of a room and symmetry also determined the design of the ornaments.

The Oath of Horatii clock is found in every room of the palace of relative importance. For instance, this one in the Burgomasters’ Chamber. It is a copy in bronze, of the scene painted by Jacques-Louis David, his depiction of the three brothers swearing to defend Rome together.

This round table was made by Carel Breytspraak. The mahogany leg of this table was described at that time as being ‘en forme d’autel’ (altar shaped) because the shape of this three-sided leg with its concave lines, was based upon a Roman altar.

Empire furniture has sober lines and gives massive impression with its balanced structure and harmonious proportions of components. The armchairs and sofa on the Queen’s sitting room clearly illustrate this architectural principle.

Most of the furniture of the palace’s main floor was made of mahogany including the most typical piece of Empire furniture which is the console table. Here in the dining room and in almost every room can be seen these console tables placed against the wall, the top of which are made of marble.

The Amsterdam Palace Today

The city fathers commisioned a building that would be both functional and impressive, as splendid as any of its predecessors in ancient Greece and Rome. The building that Van Campen had in mind would not only be impressive, it was a majestic example of classical architecture and superb craftmanship.

At present the Royal Palace is used for State Visits, the Queen’s New Year receptions and other official functions, including the annual presentation of the Erasmus Prize, the Silver Carnation, the Royal Awards for Painting, and the Prince Claus Prize. When not in use by the Queen or members of the Royal House, the palace is open to the public under the auspices of the Amsterdam Royal Palace Foundation.

References:

The Palace of Amstedam by Eymert-Jan Goossens
The Koninklijk Paleis Official Website
Empire in het Paleis
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