For those who are first-time crossing Dam Square (de Dam), Amsterdam, probably there that makes aback. Despite of the fast-moving tram, passing de Dam make memories flying into Jakarta. Not because the National Monument, of course, but because of the Paleis op de Dam or Dam Palace. Viewing Paleis op de Dam could not, indeed like looking at the town hall is now a historical museum, Jakarta (MSJ).


June last year, the Dam Palace has reopened to the public, after closing for about six years since restored, by paying a ticket for 7.50 euros, or about USD 90,000 (with the exchange rate of Rp 12,000). From the mid 17th century building is regularly used as a guest of Queen Beatrix of state.


Jacob van Campen designed Paleis op de Dam as the town hall of Amsterdam. At the time, the town hall was so proud citizens of the City of Amsterdam. Other cities in the Netherlands later designs inspired by van Campen, the town in the southeastern Netherlands, Maastricht. Maastricht City Hall would also remind people of Jakarta at a building that moment even three centuries old, the building of the former City Hall of Batavia.

Inspired by the greatness of Amsterdam's City Hall, then an architect Willem van der Velde Jorisz (according to Hans Bonke and Anne Handojo) or WJ van de Velde (as Adolf Heuken) designing a new city hall in the 18th century. So how then form part of the entrance arch stadhuis it turned into a triangle and ended up with more and more like Paleis op de Dam?

That's due to changes in policy in the 19th century, where enforcement of the sentence held in the courtyard of city hall, so that changes in building facades, especially at the entrance needs to be done. Nothing certain data, including photos stadhuis in the early 1800s. Hans Bonke and Anne Handojo in Stadhuis Up From The museum also just write down, in 1801-1802 the entrance to be widened so that enough room to install the platform in order to carry out the death penalty.

In Historic Places in Jakarta in writing, as the town hall, where it used to take care of such people needs to register the marriage, to convene in the courtroom, as an orphan shelter, as a prison, where executions and flogging. In essence, as a place where people talk. Then the building was ever called as a House Talk.

In the 50 years later, the neo classical style of architecture dominate the main building. Batavia Stadhuis roof facades that originally curved changed into a triangle in 1830. VOC emblem and symbols that adorned the country since stadhuis inaugurated on July 7, 1710, was demolished. Goddess of Justice statue perched on the roof triangle. Stadhuis photographs mostly show when the roof of the entrance stadhuis been turned into a triangle, ie above 1860's. Data photos and paintings under the year it was difficult to find,

Changes that occurred since the Governor-General van Overstraten, J Siberg, until HW Daendels, later in the period of British rule - TS Raffles, du Buis de Gisignies in 1830, and continues.

Photographs of the Batavia and then a new lot of photographers produced by Woodbury & Page after 1870. From there, seen that in 20 years later, stadhuis face had changed a lot, especially the face. Goddess of Justice statue was later lost. In addition to changing the face, the building was also later a few times to change the function to be MSJ.