Royal Palace. AMSTERDAM. 43. Route. 33

The Aupienck Room oF THE QUEEN DowaGeEr contains a painting by
Jan Lievens, representing Prudence, Justice, and Peace. — In the THRONE
Room the chief decorations are the handsome chimney-picce and a paint-
ing by Ferd. Bol of Moses on Mount Sinai, both of which, however, are
unfortunately concealed by the canopy over the throne.

The large *RecEPTIoN Room is one of the most magnificent halls in
Enrope, with a roof unsupported by columns, being 98 ft. in height,
448 ft. long, and 59 ft. broad. The walls here also are entirely lined
with white Italian marble. In the centre of the marble floor is a re-
presentation of the firmament, inJaid in copper, which, however, is covered
by a thick carpet and is not shown to the public. Above the entrance to
the throne-room is a representation of Justice, with Ignorance and Quarrel-
someness at her feet; to the left is Punishment, to the right a Skeleton,
and above, Atlas with the globe. On the E. side of the hall, at the top
of the chief staircase, is an allegorical figure of the town of Amsterdam,
surrounded by Strength, Wisdom, and Plenty. The four arches in the
corners were formerly connected with the old North and South Galleries
by means of short marble arcades, of which, however, three are now
closed. On the walls of this and the throne-room are flags and trophies
taken from the Spaniards and Indians.

The Tower (tickets, see p. 867), which contains chimes, commands an
extensive “View in clear weather.

The Voorburgwal, behind the palace, was formerly a canal, but
was ‘gedempt’ in 1880. In it stands the Post & Telegraph Office
(Pl. D, 3), built in 1896-98.

The Katver-Srraat (Pl. D, 3, 4), which leads to the S.E. from
the Dam to the Spui and ends at the Sophia-Plein (p. 377), is one
of the chief thoroughfares of the city, and contains numerous hotels,
cafés, fine shops, etc. — A side-street to the right, the St. Lucien-
Steeg, leads to the old Convent of St. Lucia, now the Muntcrpat On-
PHANAGE (Pl. D, 4), entered by the gate No. 27 (adm., see p. 367).
The well-preserved regents’ room contains paintings by *Jac. Backer,
Jiirgen Ovens, A. de Vries, and others; the court, with its open colon-
nade, is also interesting. The next side-street on the right, the
Begynen-Steeg, leads to the main entrance of the Begynenhof or

Béguinage (Pl. D,4; comp. p. 369), of the 15-17th cent., to some extent
reconstructed but still all in keeping (side-entrance in the Spni).

In the B nenhof stands the English Reformed Church (p. 866), built
ca. 140 ), assigned to the English community in 1607, and enlarged in
1665. The brass desk on the pulpit was presented in 1689 by William
and Ma y, King and Queen of Great Britain. The carved panels of the
pulpit are a memorial of the accession of Queen Wilhelmina in 1898.
bronze tablet (1909) in the church commemorates the arrival of the Pilgrim
Fathers in Amsterdam in 1609.

_In the Singel (No. 421), a little to the S. of the Béguinage, lies the
University Library (Pl. D, 4; adm., see p. 367). containing 350,000 printed
yols., including the Rosenthal Collection of over 8000 books on Jewish litera-
ture. It possesses numerous valuable MSS. (Cesar’s Bellum Gallicum of the
10th cent.; Syriac New Testament; a Sachsenspiegel of the 14th cent.) and
an extensive collection of autographs. Director, Dr. C. P. Burger.

 

 

 

 

  
  
 

 
 
 
 

 

 

The chief objects of interest in the W. portion of the inner town
are the handsome Wester Kerk (Pl. ©, 3, 4), erected in 1620-31 by
Hi, de Keyser, with the highest tower in Amsterdam and a monument
to Rembrandt, who was buried here’(the house in which he died, at

   
 

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