The GRAND HOTEL. Oude Zijds Voorburgwal. C.Commelin 1691. Antique Copper Engraving

Hotel The  GRAND, Oude Zijdsvoorburgwal 197 is located in the former townhall of the city Amsterdam. The large property where the Hotel is located in the old city goes back to the 14th century. Here were located the monasteries from St Cecilia and St Catharina. In 1578 when the Calvinists took over and after the Alteratie the city Amsterdam owned all the property from the former Catholic Church. They changed the monastery  in to a “guesthouse“ for high official guests, a “ Logement voor Princen en Hooge Heeren “ In 1557 it also became a meetingroom for the Admirality of Amsterdam. After 1647 it was not longer in use as a guesthouse and in 1656 it was totally given to the Admirality. Between 1652 and 1656 it also was used  by the  when the old old Townhall on the Dam was burnt down in 1652. And the new townhall ( now palace ) was not yet finished.. When the French came in 1795 in Amsterdam, the Admirality was gone.