The Royal Palace in Amsterdam is one of four palaces in the Netherlands which is at the disposal of Queen Beatrix by Act of Parliament. The palace was built as city hall during the Dutch Golden Age in the seventeenth century. The building became the royal palace of king Louis Napoleon and later of the Dutch Royal House. It is situated in the west side of Dam Square in the centre of Amsterdam, opposite the War Memorial and next to the Nieuwe Kerk. The town hall was opened on 20 July 1655 by Cornelis de Graeff, the political and social leader of Amsterdam. It is now called the royal palace. It was built by Jacob van Campen. He took control of the construction project in 1648, as the Town Hall for the City of Amsterdam. It was built on 13,659 wooden piles and cost 8,5 million gulden.

Designed by the famous Dutch architect Jacobus Oud, the Dutch National Monument stands as a memorial to the Second World War. A national icon in Amsterdam, the obelisk is a place famous amongst both locals as well as tourists who visit the city.

Although the structure is popular amongst visitors, very few actually appreciate the underlying symbolism that is crafted on the pillar. Placed in a series of concentric circles, the obelisk is beautifully sculpted with figures of men, canines and birds. The front side of the monument has two male figures that represent the Dutch Resistance Movement while the left and right sides represent the intellectuals and the working class. The canines stand as a symbol of loyalty and suffering. The woman along with the child represents victory, peace and new beginnings, and the doves that ascend to the skies symbolize freedom and liberation.
The urn behind the obelisk hold the soil that was collected from the World War II cemeteries and execution grounds.

Every year, on the 4th of May, the ceremony of Remembrance of the Dead is held at the National monument. The obelisk stands as a representation of all the turmoil, suffering and lives that were lost and sacrificed during the Second World War.

The Beurs van Berlage will be of much interest to those who are intrigued by a city’s architecture. The structure constructed between 1898 and 1903 was built as the stock exchange of Amsterdam. Located in the center of city, the Beurs van Berlage was designed by architect Hendrik Petrus Berlage. Considered as one of the leading architects in Amsterdam, Berlage has contributed to the new wave of modern architectural designs in the city.

Not only is the designer of the building an important figure in the history of the city’s architecture, the Beurs van Berlage itself has influenced many modernist architects and has garnered appreciation from different art schools of Amsterdam. The most unique aspect of the building and its architecture remains its aloof yet simple patterns and designs. Set on the backdrop of vintage Gothic and Renaissance styled buildings, the Beurs van Berlage makes its own stand with its colour, structure and style. Proposed to be ahead of its time, the designs come as a refreshing change and can easily be singled out in the Amsterdam skyline.

Today the building no longer serves as a center for city’s stock exchange but is now used as an exhibition and concert hall.

When in Amsterdam you are bound to enter the Centraal Station at least once during your visit. With over 1500 trains that ply daily through the station, it is one of the busiest places in Amsterdam. Almost 250,000 commuters go through the Central daily and in the truest sense it is the heart of the city.

The Central station began service in the late 19th century. Designed by architects P.J.H. Cuypers and A. L. van Gendt, the structure symbolized the rebirth of the once unstable financial state of the country.
An interesting fact about the Central Station is that it was built on three manmade islands and the current location of the station is not that was originally decided. To erect a structure as massive as the Station it took precisely 8687 wooden piles to support the building on the muddy soil. The entire project seemed like a huge mistake and was even condemned by many experts, but in the end, the architects managed to pull it off.

Today, this Neo-Gothic structure stands proudly on the banks of the river IJ and one can only gaze at the beauty and the colossal presence of this magnificent edifice built on a manmade island.

The Schreierstoren that literally translates to ‘sharp angles’, was once a part of the medieval wall built around the city of Amsterdam. The structure was named so, because of the sharp angles it makes with the Geldersekade and the Oudezijds Kolk. Constructed with the sole purpose of protecting the city in the 15th century, the Schreierstoren stood as a tower of defense.

The Schreierstoren has been associated with many tales and myths in the past. According to popular belief, the Schreierstoren is also nick named the Weeping Tower. It was named so, because it was believed that the wives of sailors and travellers said their goodbyes at this tower and it was here that they anxiously waited for their return. A gable stone with an etched picture of a crying lady is some proof for this legend.

Although the story of the weeping wives does sound plausible, the etched picture is hugely misunderstood. The woman depicted on the stone is actually a virgin, the symbol for the city of Amsterdam.

Apart from the tall tales associated with the Schreierstoren tower, there are many interesting facts about it as well. The Tower has also bid adieu to many voyages that made history. The Schreierstoren was the port from where Henry Hudson set sails for his trip to North America.

Built in 1488, the Weighing House or the De Waag in Dutch was once a part of the city gates built to overlook the city. Later, in the 17th century, this monumental building was converted to a weighing house.

Originally, the building was much taller than it presently is. In the early 16th century, plans of expanding the city limits brought down the wall that once surrounded it. After razing the walls, all that remained was the gate that was no longer useful. The defensive canal and the area surrounding the gate were later transformed into the market square. The ground level was raised stunting the structure further.

De Waag housed many guilds and associations, one of which also included the painter’s guild. It is in this building that Rembrandt van Rijn, the famous Dutch artist, was inspired to make his painting, ‘The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolas Tulp’ which earned him his worldwide reputation. Post the 17th century, the Weighing house served home to many associations; it also housed two museums and even a fire brigade. It was only in 1996 that the building was taken over by the Waag society which carefully preserved the structure for generations to see.

Built in 1596, with the purpose of rectifying and correcting its minor citizens, the Spinhuis did everything in its right to see to it that adolescent and young children could be corrected for the crime they committed.
As the story goes, the court once received a 16 year old well-bred boy by the name of Evert Jansz for theft. Although convicted, the judges found themselves in a huge conundrum when it came to finding an appropriate punishment for the teenager. An adult who had committed a crime would either by lashed, killed, mutilated or humiliated. Being a minor they did not know if it was appropriate to punish a minor in the same order. And this very though led to the establishment of the House of Corrections in 1596. Juvenile law offenders and notorious minors were brought to the House of Correction where they were taught to lead more civilized and honest lives.
Later even young girls who committed crimes or were prostitutes were also brought in, in order to improve. The facility soon got renamed as Spinhuis, because the girls were made to spin. The house soon turned into a live example for younger children outside of the Spinhuis. Parent brought in their children on Sunday to show them what happened to Children who don’t listen to their parents.

The Mint Tower is one of the structures in the city which has a rich past. A part of the wall that guarded the city of Amsterdam, the Tower was one of the main gates of the Regulierspoort.

Built in the latter half of the 15th century, the Tower underwent tremendous renovation over the centuries. From the fire of 1618, which engulfed and destroyed most of the city’s walls, the Mint Tower emerged almost untouched, only to be reconstructed in the Renaissance style a year later.

Hendrick de Keyser, a renowned Dutch architect and sculptor, oversaw the building’s reconstruction and also attributed to the stylish eight sided top half of the Tower. Elegant additions of 4 clock faces and a carillon of bells were also made. Today the original bells are on display in the Amsterdam Historical Museum and replaced by newer ones. The Tower chimes ever quarter of an hour and on Saturdays between 2 and 3 pm one can hear a live concerto of the bells.

The Tower earned its peculiar name in the 17th century, when the Dutch were at war with England and France. With most of the Dutch territory occupied, the risk of losing valuable resources was high. A tower was used as a make shift center to mint money which is now known as the Mint Tower.