Former Prinsenhof, now hotel 'The Grand', former city hall in Amsterdam
This building complex at Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197-199 in Amsterdam has operated as hotel The Grand since 1992 and holds multiple historic functions within its walls. The canal-facing facade was designed between 1924 and 1926 in the Amsterdam School style and features stone sculptures sitting atop granite pilaster capitals.
The building arose in 1411 on the site of a monastery and was converted into a guesthouse called Prinsenhof after the Reformation in 1578. It shifted between several uses and served as city hall from 1808 onwards under King Louis of France, keeping this role for roughly 180 years.
The name Prinsenhof recalls when this building served as a guesthouse for royalty and dignitaries from across Europe. Visitors today walk through spaces where important figures once stayed and where city officials conducted the business of Amsterdam.
The hotel sits centrally along one of Amsterdam's major canals and is easily reached on foot from the city center. Visitors should know that some of the building's historic rooms and spaces are visible while moving through the public areas of the hotel.
The artist Karel Appel created a modern mural inside the building in 1949 that reflects the artistic direction of Amsterdam at that time. This work of art stands as a quiet testament to how the city wove contemporary expression into its historical spaces.
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