The Dutch Royal Palace
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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 Nieuw Kerk.
It was built by Jacob van Campen, who took control of the construction project in 1648, as the Town Hall for the City of Amsterdam, and was built on 13,659 wooden piles. It was opened on 20th July 1655 by the leaders of the city the interiors, focusing on the power and prestige of Amsterdam, were completed later (mainly by Rembrandt and Ferdinand Bol).
After the patriot revolution which swept the House of Orange from power a decade earlier, the new Batavian Republic was forced to accept Louis Napoleon, brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, as King of Holland in 1806. After holding his court at The Hague and Utrecht, Louis Napoleon moved to Amsterdam, and converted the Town Hall into a royal palace for himself.
The King of Holland did not last long to appreciate his new palace. He abdicated on the 2 July 1810, and the Netherlands was annexed by France. The palace became home to the French governor, Charles François Lebrun.
Prince William VI (son of Prince William V of Orange), returned to the Netherlands in 1813, after Napoleon fell from power, restored the palace to its original owners. After his investiture as King William I of the Netherlands, however, Amsterdam was made the official capital of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (the seats of government being Brussels and The Hague). The new King realised the importance of having a palace in the capital, and the Town Hall again, became a royal palace.
It was made property of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1936, and is used by the Queen for entertaining and hosting official functions, such as state visits, the New Year reception, and the presentations of the Erasmus, Royal Grant to Painting and Prince Claus prizes.