The Amsterdam Sundial Trail
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Step 1 - from Central Station to Dam square
The trail starts at the Central Railway Station. On the Stationsplein (square) two utilities: the booths of GVB (public transport, below left) and the Tourist Information can be found. The view is dominated, however, by the construction works for the new North-South metro line, which is scheduled to open in 2013.
The big building about half-way along Damrak on the left is the 'Beurs van Berlage', built around 1900 by H.P. Berlage, famous architect of the Amsterdam School. The building once housed the stock and commodity exchanges. It now houses concerts, exhibition space and catering. See their website for programs etc.
The Dam square is the heart of the city - and the country. In the left-hand (eastern) part of the square is the National Memorial, 22 meter high. It was dedicated in 1956 to the memory of the Dutch victims of the Second World War and peace-keeping missions worldwide, and is thereby a symbol of national unity.
On the opposite side of the square is the Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace), temporarily closed for renovation. It was built by Jacob van Campen in the 1660's as the city hall, then the largest secular building in the world. Amsterdam was at the time one of the world's wealthiest and most powerful cities. We learned in school that the Palace rests on 13,659 wooden piles.
In the marble floor of the large Burgerzaal (Citizen's Hall, 34x17 m, 25 m heigh) are inlays of the two hemispheres and the northern starry sky. According to some sources, the southern sky is depicted on the ceiling, but that plan actually has never been executed.
On top of the pediment at the Palace's rear, Atlas is bearing the Globe.
Tucked away in the north-west corner of the Dam is the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church). Construction of the gothic building was started in the 14th century. Now it houses large exhibitions as well as organ concerts. See the website for programs etc.
The façade of the southern aisle, which declines 18° east, has two sundials. In the very top is a vertical dial with a circular, marble dial face. Hours from 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gilded arabic hour numbers with short arrows, half hours indicated by dashes and dots. Gilded pole-style. The sundial was renovated in 1722 by the instrument maker C. Metz. Previous copper numerals have caused greenish colorations of the marble.
Half-way up the east pillar of the aisle is a triple sundial on a nicely decorated sandstone block, topped by a pediment. The block is rotated out of the wall, so as to face directly south. The south dial has roman and arabic hour numbers from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., with hour lines and half-hour dots. Gilded, supported pole-style, slightly bent.
The west dial has hour lines from 3 to 6 p.m. Thereafter the sun is blocked by the aisle wall, if not earlier by the Palace. The east dial has hour lines from 3 to 6 a.m. Behind it, only partly visible from street level, is a skull, a vanity symbol, wearing a cap. The pole styles of both east and west dials probably were forgotten to be replaced at the last restoration.
