Once home to the Nieuwer-Amstel Town Hall and the Amsterdam City Archives, this building boasts over 130 years of memories and change.
When you cross the banks of the River Amstel, eyes fixed upon the impressive façade of the Pestana Amsterdam Riverside, the history of the building – a national monument – takes on form and presence. Today, repurposed by the Pestana Hotel Group, it’s now a five-star hotel that has preserved the existing heritage, inviting guests to experience it during their stay.
Largest in the world
Built in 1892 to house the Nieuwer-Amstel Town Hall, just four years later the neighbourhood was officially incorporated into Amsterdam, which meant reallocating the local councillors. For almost a century, it served as the world’s largest city archive, storing documents related to births, deaths, architectural works, commerce and even criminal investigations. Each corridor guarded fragments of the city’s history, as well as that of personalities, such as Rembrandt and Anne Frank.
After transferring the archives in 2007, the building was closed. In 2014, it was given a new lease of life when acquired by the Pestana Hotel Group, which oversaw a meticulous transformation.
Metamorphosis
It was an ambitious challenge: to turn the former city archive into a sumptuous hotel, while retaining the building’s historical identity. To do so, the Pestana Hotel Group engaged Studio Linse, which specialises in renovating iconic structures in Amsterdam. The focus was trained on preserving architectural aspects, such as the monumental staircase, the high ceilings and the emblematic clock tower, while adding contemporary features that provided comfort and sophistication.
Each part of the hotel has a historical feel. The ballroom, which used to host official city events, is now the place for weddings and celebrations. The rooms, where priceless documents were once kept, now offer comfort and tranquillity. The clock tower, which used to keep locals punctual for decades, is now one of the hotel’s most popular suites.
New chapters
The Pestana Amsterdam Riverside isn’t just a hotel in the center of Amsterdam with a spa and pool. It’s a house of stories that leads to an immersive experience, where guests are invited to write their own chapters. If walls could talk, they would tell us about the young artist who illustrated Minerva on the banks of the Amstel, about the archivists who dedicated their lives to documenting a city, and about the travellers who now find this place away from home.
