The Royal Palace was originally the Town Hall of Amsterdam, created in the 17th-century golden era of Holland. It was a time when Amsterdam and its fleet of ships held a dominant trading position, attracting great wealth to the nation’s capital.  When the population grew fivefold, a new town hall was needed to serve the people. Jacob van Campen was the appointed architect. He designed in the Dutch classical style, drawing on the proportions and spatial designs found in classical architecture.  Located in the center of Amsterdam facing Dam Square, the Palace is a harmoniously balanced sandstone building, with the façade’s focal point being a central bay topped by a domed tower. The Palace was built upon exactly 13,659 wooden poles, which were made from Norwegian spruce and driven into soft ground to carry the weight of the building.  Bearing Amid the Cosmos At the apex of the west façade, Atlas, …