Skywatch

A skywatch with a view at a gold wind vane housed on top of the bell tower of the Royal Palace in Amsterdam.

Here a closer look of the cog, a cargo saling ship that plied between the Hanseatic towns. The cog was the principal emblem in Amsterdam's former coat of arms. The wind vane is about as high as a person approximately 1.84 meters. Linking to "Skywatch Friday"

Streetview

A view at the backside of the Royal Palace in Amsterdam with Atlas on top carrying the globe on his shoulders. You can have a better view of  him "here" in a previous post.
Linking to "Our World Tuesday"

Atlas

A sculpture of the Mythological figure Atlas with the globe on his shoulders can be found on top the the Royal Palace at Dam square. Linking to "Skywatch Friday" and "Perth Daily Photo" who currently has some posts about the "Atlas building" overthere. :)

Skywatch

The sculptures and the weather vane of the Palace at Dam square in Amsterdam, stand out against the blue sky. We have the most wonderful weather at the moment with lots of sunshine and high temperatures and it is not even summer yet.

See for more Skywatches over the world here

The Royal Palace

I had some questions yesterday about the interior of the Palace in Amsterdam and I found some photos I made a year ago. I remember these were made by hubby sccollections as mine had a poor quality to publish. So he gets the credits for these. The Palace dates from the 17th century and was built as the Town Hall of Amsterdam and shows the power and wealth of the city of Amsterdam in the Golden Age. With the arrival of King Louis Napoleon in 1808 the Town Hall changed into a Palace and the many chandeliers and the empire furniture recall this time.

The first photo shows the Citizen Hall and these are the corridors.

You are not allowed to enter the guestrooms but can have a peek from the doorway.

Look at the ceiling it is decorated with gold leaf.

It was all rather dark inside the rooms that made it difficult to make photos, but I hope you have an impression now. I you want to see more look at this Link.

The Palace

A few weeks ago the King and Queen of Sweden paid a visit to Amsterdam. They were received in the Palace at Dam square which is not actually in use as a palace but only for receptions or diners with our own King and Queen. The rest of the time it is open to the public to have a look inside which I once did and is very nice. For the occasion two guards posted at the door.

I didn't see any royal, I just passed by and noticed the whole place was trimmed with fences and the Swedish and Dutch flag were placed on the empty square which is usually a very crowded place.
Linking this to Good Fences

Just 13 days

Just 13 days to go to the inauguration of King Willen-Alexander. The abdication of Queen Beatrix will take place in the Palace left and then the new King will walk to the New Church to the right where he will sworn in. There will not be a crowning, the only European Royal House that does so is the British.

I had no clue what the banners were, but when I zoomed in I noticed that it said "Inaugurated, the Orange family in the New Church of Amsterdam" with the silhouettes of all the Kings and Queens to the left.

There are not much decorations to see in town yet.

First details

The Palace at Dam Square in Amsterdam where at April 30 our Queen Beatrix will sign her abdication paper and then will appear at the balcony as Princess Beatrix with her son  King Willem Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima and their three daughters.

Then the new King will walk to the nearby New Church where he will swear to be faithfull to the thrown.

We don't have a crowning ceremony in the Netherlands, so he will not be crowned.

The church is currently in use as an exhibiton hall, but the Indians have to move earlier than April 14th as the church has to be made ready for the ceremony. These are the first details about the day are announced to the Press.

Sunlight

In winter you sometimes have these sudden sunlights falling at one specific point. This is the back of the Palace at Dam-square in Amsterdam.