Royal Palace of Amsterdam
Paleis op de Dam

Visit the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, the King’s official reception palace.

The Royal Palace of Amsterdam (completed in 1665) is located on Dam square, in the most central part of the city, and is an unmissable building. Even though it is called ‘Paleis op de Dam’ (Dutch for palace on the Dam), the royal family does not live here. The Palace is used as the King’s official reception palace, an important location for different events, such as the wedding reception of the King in 2002. Besides this, it is used for state visits, coronations, gala dinners and awards ceremonies.

The Palace is one of the most important monuments of the Netherlands and the largest one from the Golden Age. Although the Palace is now used for important royal events, it was initially built as Amsterdam’s town hall, designed by Jan van Campen. Van Campen designed it in a way that would reflect the wealth and power of Amsterdam in the 17th century. In 1808, King Louis Bonaparte let the building transform into a palace, who’s stay is still noticeable today. In fact, his furniture is still used during royal receptions.

Although it is worth looking at the architecture of the Palace from the outside, there is also a part open to the public on the inside. Here you can walk around, see artwork and learn about the history of the royal family as well as of the building, with free audio tours!