Dam Square

News of: Sunday, February 08 2009,

Royal Palace in Amsterdam sensitive object on Microsoft Virtual Earth

Since about a week the center of Amsterdam can be seen in bird's eye view with in Microsoft Virtual Earth.

Microsoft Virtual Earth is a competitor of Google Maps. A feature that Google Maps does not have is the bird's eye view, pictures at a 45 degree angle, that let you have a good view of the front of buildings, in stead of the satellite view, which only shows the roof top.

But not Amsterdam's Royal Palace on Dam Square. Apparently, this building is considered a sensitive object, as the picture of the palace is blurred out.
Google Maps, however, shows the palace without restrictions.
And Simply Amsterdam shows you the front of the Royal Palce too - see below.

The palace is not inhabited (Queen Beatrix lives in The Hague), and is only used for state visits and other official occasions, such as the New Year's reception.
If not used for official purposes, the palace is open to the public (currently the palace is being renovated).

Dam Square

Dam Square

Royal Palace Amsterdam

Royal Palace Amsterdam