An
immense Neo-Gothic building housing some of the most
famous and amazing art and artifacts in the world.
When it opened, its design came under fire by ardent
Calvinists who thought it was too ornate, and that
the architect went beyond what be promised in the
proposal approved by the city. It turns out, they
were correct. Cuypers visited the construction site
personally and secretly put details back in that he
had removed in order to get his plan approved. No
doubt, the Calvinists would look down their nose at
the gold leaf that adorns this palace of history.
But one hundred years later, Amsterdam accepts the
building as one of its finest landmarks. Where to
enter depends on what you want to see. If you're into
Dutch history, use the left entrance. For great painters,
use the right entrance. Whatever you do, don't try
to see the whole collection in one day. This museum
is Big -- over 150 rooms. Doing a marathon tour will
only give you blisters.