1648: A new city hall
The palace was originally built as a city hall for the burgomaster and magistrates of Amsterdam, who awarded the project to the celebrated architect Jacob van Campen in 1648.
Van Campen also had a hand in building Huis ten Bosch and Noordeinde Palace in The Hague.
The entire building is made of white stone, though centuries of weathering have left none of the original colour visible. On 29 July 1655, the city of Amsterdam opened the first section of the building.
Decoration
At that time, only two floors had been completed and decorated. Renowned sculptors were brought to Amsterdam and famous painters, such as Rembrandt and Ferdinand Bol, contributed to the interior. The central aim of the decoration was to symbolise the power of Amsterdam and the Dutch Republic.