With the normalization of the Groote Rivier and the demolition of the east shop houses, the square became completely enclosed with buildings.
The Prinsestraat (present Jalan Cengkeh), which in the beginning formed the street that leads to the Castle, were established as an urban center, connecting the Castle south gate with the City Hall, forming an impressive vista on the seat of government.
[1] Beginning from the year up until around late 18th-century, the Stadhuisplein was flanked with the City Hall to the south, a church to the west, some shop houses to the north, and the Tijgersgracht to the east.
[5] C. 1870, with the elimination of the Tijgersgracht and the completion of the Palais van Justitie (now Fine Arts and Ceramics Museum), the total area of the Stadhuisplein expanded slightly to the east.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the northeast shop houses were demolished to make way for the Post- en telegraaf kantoor aan het Stadhuisplein (now Kota Post Office).
Both Berlage and Karsten, noted Dutch architects, cited the addition of the building as destroying the traditional city structure of the Old Town.