Dam Plaza, also known as Dom Plaza, is not far from the Central Railway Station in Amsterdam. It can be said to be the starting point of the city center and the most dynamic place in the whole city. Dam Square was originally built at the end of the 12th century, north of a Dam Square on the Amstel River, which is now the old city. The houses in this area used to be shops from house to house, and they were very busy. There was also a celebrity here, Zacharias Jansen, the inventor of the telescope. Dam Square has been the political and commercial center of the city for centuries. The city halls, metrology offices and markets used to be stationed there, and political turmoil for various reasons, such as provocative campaigns, anti-Vietnam war and so on, has also been held here. But now the Dam Square is just a thriving business district where personal tides gather. Amsterdam's new town hall was built in 1648. Due to geological conditions, the whole building was supported by more than 13,000 wooden piles. The classical and magnificent style of the new town hall is still the most conspicuous goal on the dam square. When France occupied the Netherlands in 1808, Louis Bonaparte chose the new town hall as his residence, which was renamed the Koninklijk Paleis. Another remarkable building on the square is the Nationaal Monument, which was set up to commemorate the victims of Nazi persecution during World War II. Every year, on the 5th of May, a memorial service is held here.