When visiting Paleis Het Loo, it can't be missed: the Grand Staircase. A majestic staircase at the heart of the building. It has 36 steps. Old-fashioned, ‘lazy’ steps, designed for long skirts and tight costumes.
As you walk up, your pace naturally slows. On the walls and ceiling, a painted world unfolds. There’s much to see: a parrot, vases with floral garlands, and behind a balustrade stand Ottoman men who seem to welcome you. You’re looking at the second-largest mural in the Netherlands.
Restoration
The mural is at risk of damage due to a varnish layer that is becoming increasingly difficult to remove. During the exhibition, the restoration will start, in which the varnish layer will be replaced.
At the start of a new restoration, the exhibition The Grand Staircase takes you through its history from the 17th century to today. Discover all the secrets of the grand staircase and follow the restoration up close.
Would you like to support us? Choose your piece and contribute to the restoration of the grand staircase.
If the walls of this artwork could talk...
...What would they tell us about the more than 300 years of history they have witnessed? Who has walked these stairs? What has happened to them over the centuries?
The artwork tells a story that takes us from National Park Veluwe to French Versailles and further, to Istanbul. It shows how the House of Orange was culturally and politically connected to other royal families.
In this exhibition, you embark on a journey through time: you’ll meet the people who gave meaning to the staircase, the symbols that quietly tell a story, and the walls that have seen it all.
History of the Grand Staircase
The original mural was commissioned between 1690 and 1694 by King-Stadtholder Willem III, the patron of Paleis Het Loo. The design was created by the French interior designer Daniel Marot and executed by the court painter Robert Duval in oil on a layer of plaster.
On view till 30 August 2026.
Program
Step out in style: dressing up space
Put on a costume and take your place on the royal staircase. Feel like a guest of Willem III and make your own grand entrance.
Treasure hunt
for childrenExplore the exhibition ‘The Grand Staircase’.
Studio
in the exhibitionStep into the shoes of the artists, designers and restorers of the Grand Staircase. Create your own composition and get an up-close look at the restoration process.
Specials on the menu
in the restaurantSample the flavours of Turkish cuisine with a selection of specialities such as baklava and börek.
Lecture 'A Gaze from the Grand Staircase: Dutch-Ottoman Encounters across Time'
Saturday 13 June at 11:00 amJoin historian Ozan Ozavci for a richly illustrated lecture beginning with Ottoman figures gazing from the walls of the Grand Staircase at the Paleis Het Loo. The lecture will walk us through the history of Dutch-Ottoman encounters, from diplomacy and trade to oil and empire.
