Dam Square is dominated on it's western side by Jacob van Campden's 1948 Royal Palace. Originally constructed as the town hall for Amsterdam, this was the largest non-secular building in the world at the time and the poet Contanryn Huygens dubbed it "the eighth wonder of the world", but he was prone to exaggeration.
The exterior is dull and forbidding but if you can gain entry to the building which has been called "the house with no doors" then your E4.50 entrance fee will be well rewarded. A mildly diverting video presentation called "The Heart of Amsterdam" gives you a brief introduction to the history of the palace and highlights some of the features to look out for but nothing can adequately prepare you for stepping out into the fabulous Citizen's Hall with its enormous statue of Atlas marking the true heart of the city.
The palace is crammed with neo-classical sculptures by Campden and his team of artists. These sculptures as well as being highly decorative also act as allegorical sign posts to anyone familiar with the classics. A relief of Icarus who flew to close to the sun and came crashing back to Earth marks the door to the bankruptcy office, and Mars the god of war guards the large bronze doors that lead to the armoury, but the true highlight is the exquisitely carved tribunal, where death sentences were handed down in public view, with its reliefs of biblical and classical scenes covering every wall.
There are also a large number of paintings from students of Rembrandt's including Ferdinand Bol and Govaret Flinck adorning the various rooms. Highlights include the enormous canvas depicting Moses' selection of the 70 elders by Jacob de Wit in the City Council Chambers and the four grisalles (two-tint paintings that look like 3D reliefs) representing the four virtues of good advice (wisdom, disdain for worldly goods, piety and truth) also by de Wit and also in the City Council Chambers.
In 1808 the French Emperor Napoleon appointed his brother Louis as King of Holland and appropriated the town hall as his palace. Louis set about converting the building to his needs, adding interior walls, the chandeliers that grace the Citizen's Hall and commissioning furniture from local artisans such as F.H.G. Jacob Desmaller, Carel Bretspraak and Pieter Meyer, leaving the palace with the largest collection of Empire style furniture outside of France.
King William returned the palace to the town council and in 1936 it passed into the hands of the state, who commenced work to restore it to its to its original glory. It is now used for state functions, official receptions and irregularly opened to tourists.