The Royal Palace (Koninklijk Paleis) on Dam Square is one of the central attractions of Amsterdam. It appeared during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. Then the country was experiencing a flourishing of art, science, and economy. The palace has become a real offspring of its time: its appearance rival many residences of European rulers in magnificence, harmonized with a unique engineering design that makes such a monumental structure stand on a marshland.

The creator of this palace in the city center was the major representative of classical Dutch style in art and architecture, Jacob van Campen. The construction lasted seventeen years and was completed in 1665.

The new building did not become the Royal Palace immediately. Initially, it was built as a City Hall and remained it for about 150 years. Only at the beginning of the 18th century, Louis Bonaparte, the brother of Napoleon I, made this majestic building his residence. Today, the popular landmark remains one of the three palaces in the Netherlands owned by the royal family.

It is a majestic building with a lucid design and austere decor without anything excessive. Designed in the classical Dutch style, it reflects its main features. The exterior of the building is symmetrical. It has classical proportions, and its impressive size contrasts sharply with the narrow and tightly standing to each other houses. While looking at the serene, calm, and harmonious appearance of the palace, one cannot immediately notice its main decoration – the sculptures on the pediment and the bas-relief. They unobtrusively add sophistication to the entire building. Besides, the palace is crowned with a clock tower that rises above the central part of the building from the side of Dam Square. Previously, this tower was used to watch the departure and arrival of ships.

The Royal Palace of Amsterdam remains one of the most significant and central attractions of the city and the country. As before, it houses the most important political events: the ceremony of handing over the throne, royal weddings, receptions of foreign heads of state, and other official ceremonies.