The Netherlands - Alkmaar
Top sights Amsterdam
Amsterdam city walk route
information:
Start: central station Amsterdam Central
Distance: 7km Duration: 2.5 hours Download / print map Amsterdam city walk route:
6
Amsterdam – Capital of the Netherlands
May 31
st
, 2016
For our next Blog we visit Amsterdam. There is so much to explore and to experience in Amsterdam, that we
will write several Blogs about Amsterdam. For our first Blog we make a walk through the historic center of
Amsterdam.
1. Central Station of Amsterdam
We are standing in front of the Central Station of Amsterdam, the starting point of this walk. This is one of
the most lively points in the Netherlands. It is after the Central Station of Utrecht, the busiest station in the
Netherlands. The station is built on an artificial island between 1881 and 1889 and designed by P.J.H.
Cuypers, A.L. van Gendt and L.J. Eijmer.
We go straight ahead on to the Damrak, in the earlier days this street was a canal until the Dam Square. On
the left you see all the canal boats waiting for tourists, we advise you to make a cruise on one of these canal
boats, it is a great way to explore the city from a total other perspective. On the right side you see all kind of
hotels, restaurants, the sex museum, the Body Works exposition, coffee- and souvenir shops.
2. Beurs of Berlage
Furthermore you see on the right side the Beurs of Berlage. The first stock exchange of the Netherlands was
located in this building in the year 1602. The initiative of this stock exchange was made by the Vereenigde
Oostindische Compagnie (VOC), who needed money to finance their worldwide maritime trade activities.
Later on also the shares of the West-Indische Compagnie were exchanged in this building. The building was
designed by Hendrick de Keyser. The VOC was responsible for the wealth the Dutch obtained during the
Golden Age (1600-1700).
When we arrive at the Dam Square, you will find the following interesting buildings and attractions. At the left
corner you see the De Bijenkorf, this is one of the finest department stores in Amsterdam. Furthermore you
see the statue The National Monument, which is built (1956) to remember all the victims of the WOII and
armed conflicts. At the corner of the Rokin you find the Dutch version of Madamme Tussauds, where you can
make a selfie with you favorite famous person. Then you can turn into the Kalverstraat one of the busiest
shopping streets of Amsterdam. But the most dominant building on the Dam Square is the Royal Palace.
3. Royal Palace
The Royal Palace was built between 1648-1665 and designed by Jacob van Campen. It is an important
historical monument of the Golden Age. It’s first function was Town Hall, nowadays it is used by the Royal
Family to welcome foreign Heads of State and Royals and it is also used for exhibitions.
4. Nieuwe Kerk (The New Church)
We pass the Nieuwe Kerk (The New Church), the building started in 1409 and went on until 1655. The Church
started as a Roman Catholic Church but this changed in 1578 after the Eighty Years’ War, then it became a
Protestant Church. Some famous and important Dutch men have been buried in this Church, namely Michiel
de Ruyter (Admiral), Joost van den Vondel (Author) and Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft (Historian and Poem).
Since 1814 the Church is used for coronations of the Dutch Kings and Queens and consecration of the Royal
weddings.
We cross the street and walk into the Raadhuisstraat, we follow this street until the Prinsengracht. At our
right, you see the Westerkerk (designed by Hendrick de Keyser and built between 1620-1631). In this church
many prominent inhabitants of Amsterdam have been buried, including Rembrandt van Rijn.
5. Anne Frank Huis
We turn right into the Prinsengracht, we stop at no. 267, also known as the Achterhuis of Anne Frank, here we
see a long queue, this queue is there every day of the year. In this house Anne Frank wrote her famous diary
during the years that she had been hiding for the Germans during WOII.
After this visit, we walk into the Prinsengracht, where we enjoy all the beautiful and old canal houses
(grachtenpanden). All this houses were built during the Golden Age, in a time that Amsterdam and the
Netherlands, were extremely rich and famous for their international trade.
The canals are built as an extension of the city center in the 16
th
century, the canals form semi-circles around
the center, first the Singel, then the Herengracht, the Keizersgracht and finally the Prinsengracht. The canal
houses are built slim (due for tax reasons), high and deep, the front door was built higher and was only
reachable by stairs, this was because of the danger of flooding. In the basement, loft and attic the trade
goods were stored, the beam installation can still be found on the top level of the houses and is nowadays
used for moving heavy furniture. Behind the houses there are gardens. The canal houses are used
nowadays as living houses or office space.
It is a beautiful day, so we treat ourselves with an ice cream.
We follow the Prinsengracht until the Leidsegracht, here we turn left until the Keizersgracht, where we turn
right. Again we follow the Keizersgracht until the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat, here we turn left until the Herengracht,
where we turn right. When we arrive at the Reguliersgracht we walk straight on to the Thorbeckeplein (square)
and on to the Rembrandtsplein (square).
The Rembrandtsplein is a very lively square, you will find here restaurants, bars, coffee shops, a discotheque
and a cinema. The Pathé Tuschinski cinema is definitely worth visiting. The cinema was built in 1921, it’s style
is a mixture of the Amsterdam School, Art Nouveau and Art Deco.
We walk through the Utrechtsestraat and turn left on the Herengracht until we find ourselves on the Amstel,
this is both the name of the river in front of us and the street we walk on. We turn right until the Magere
Brug (Skinny Bridge). Here we cross the Amstel and turn to the left.
6. Hermitage Amsterdam
Here we pass the Hermitage Amsterdam, this is an annexe of the Hermitage Museum in Sint-Petersburg
(Russia). To seal the 300 year-old historic bond between both cities, it was decided to set up a permanent
exhibition. (Tsar Peter the Great, had run an internship in 1697 at a shipyard in the Netherlands and in the
19th century, the Dutch King William II married the Tsars daughter Anna Paulowna).
The previous name of the building was Amstelhof and it was built in 1681 as a nursing home and it kept this
purpose until 1999. The owner then decided that is was no longer suitable as a nursing home and handed it
over to the municipality. The architect Hans van Heeswijk is responsible for the transformation from nursing
home into museum, a lot of historical details, as for example the classical facades, retained in the renovated
building. The museum was an instant success, visitors from all over the world are visiting the changing
exhibitions.
7. Stopera
Across the road you see a modern building, this is the Stopera (Stadhuis (Town Hall) and Opera), which was
designed by Cees Dam and Wilhelm Holzbauer, it opened its doors in 1986. The building has two functions, it
is both the Town Hall and the Opera House.
We continue our way by turning into the Waterlooplein. The Waterlooplein is the name of this square but also
the name of the eldest flea market in Amsterdam, which is held on Monday till Saturday. At the end of the
Waterlooplein, you turn right and find yourself at the Zwanenburgwal.
8. Museum Het Rembrandthuis
You follow this street until the Sint Antoniesbreestraat/Jodenbreestraat, here you find at your right hand the
Museum Het Rembrandthuis. As the name suggests the great painter Rembrandt van Rijn has lived in this
house from 1639 till 1658, he bought the house for the amount of 13.000 guilders.
We cross the street and look out over the water of the Oude Schans. We pass the Sint Antonies lock at the
left bank and walk into the Snoekjesgracht. Here we cross a bridge and walk into the Krom Boomssloot, we are
now entering the oldest part of the center of Amsterdam.
9. Waag
We follow the Krom Boomssloot until the Koningsstraat, where we turn left straight to the Nieuwmarkt. On the
Nieuwmarkt, there is a building called the Waag. It started off in the 15
th
century as a city gate, called the Sint
Antoniepoort. In the 17
th
century it was reconstructed and it became a Waag, on the upper floors various
guilds were accommodated, each with their own entrance, the emblems of the guilds can still be found above
the entrances. In the 19
th
century it had several purposes, fire department, municipal archive and museum.
Nowadays you can have a drink and a hot meal in the Waag because it has become a restaurant/café.
10. Red Light District
We cross the square behind the Waag and walk into the Monnikenstraat (Monkstreet), this is a funny name
because we now entering the Red Light District of Amsterdam, also known as De Wallen. The Red Light
District stretches from the Warmoesstraat to the Zeedijk. You can find here shops, restaurants, bars, sex
shops, sex clubs and window prostitution (which if a typical Dutch phenomenon). The prostitute is sitting
behind a window and is luring her customers inside her little “workroom”, there she negotiates with them
about the wishes and prices and close her window.
This part of Amsterdam was built in the 13
th
century and there are prostitutes active in this area since the
15
th
century; depending on the prevailing morality, they are more or less tolerated. Today they even have to
pay income tax!
11. Oude Kerk (Old Church)
At the Oudezijds Achterburgwal we turn right and cross the first bridge on our left hand into the
Oudekennissteeg. Here we cross another bridge until we stand in front of the Oude Kerk (Old Church). The
Oude Kerk is the oldest still existing building of the city of Amsterdam. It was built in 1306 in honor of St.
Nicolaas, bishop of Myra and patron of the sailors. It started as a Roman Catholic Church but after 1578 it
became a Protestant Church. The design is Dutch Gothic and through the ages numerous of extensions and
restorations have been made to the church. Inside you will find the graves of many famous inhabitants of
Amsterdam, who have lived during the Golden Age.
We pass the church on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal/Sint Olofssteeg and turn at the corner into the
Nieuwebrugsteeg and at the end we find ourselves again on the Prins Hendrikkade in front of the Central
station. So we are at the end of this enervating walk, we hope you have enjoyed it!
1. Central Station Amsterdam
2. Beurs of Berlage
3. Royal Palace
4. Nieuwe Kerk (New Church)
5. Anne Frank Huis
6. The Hermitage Amsterdam
7. Stopera
8. Museum Het Rembrandthuis
9. Waag
10. Red Light District / De Wallen
11. Oude Kerk (The Old Church)
Amsterdam - The Netherlands
Hotel tip Amsterdam:
We found a hotel in the city center of Amsterdam, the Dream Hotel Amsterdam, which is located at the
Vijzelstraat no. 73. The hotel opened its doors back in 2014, so it is a rather new hotel. The interior of the
rooms is modern, the rooms are not too spacious because of the old building the hotel is situated in.
Opposite of the hotel one can find a tram stop, so you can take the tram to explore Amsterdam.
If you are interested in this or another hotel in Amsterdam, please check here for the availability and
best offers.
Amsterdam city walk route information:
Start: railway station Amsterdam Central
Distance: 7 km Duration: 2.5 hours Download or print map Amsterdam city walk route:
Top sights Amsterdam
1. Central Station Amsterdam
2. Beurs of Berlage
3. Royal Palace
4. Nieuwe Kerk (New Church)
5. Anne Frank Huis
6. The Hermitage Amsterdam
7. Stopera
8. Museum Het Rembrandthuis
9. Waag
10. Red Light District / De Wallen
11. Oude Kerk (The Old Church)
Amsterdam – Capital of the Netherlands
May 31
st
, 2016
For our next Blog we visit Amsterdam. There is so
much to explore and to experience in Amsterdam,
that we will write several Blogs about Amsterdam.
For our first Blog we make a walk through the
historic center of Amsterdam.
1. Central Station of Amsterdam
We are standing in front of the Central Station of
Amsterdam, the starting point of this walk. This is
one of the most lively points in the Netherlands. It is
after the Central Station of Utrecht, the busiest
station in the Netherlands. The station is built on an
artificial island between 1881 and 1889 and
designed by P.J.H. Cuypers, A.L. van Gendt and L.J.
Eijmer.
We go straight ahead on to the Damrak, in the
earlier days this street was a canal until the Dam
Square. On the left you see all the canal boats
waiting for tourists, we advise you to make a cruise
on one of these canal boats, it is a great way to
explore the city from a total other perspective. On
the right side you see all kind of hotels,
restaurants, the sex museum, the Body Works
exposition, coffee- and souvenir shops.
2. Beurs of Berlage
Furthermore you see on the right side the Beurs of
Berlage. The first stock exchange of the
Netherlands was located in this building in the
year 1602. The initiative of this stock exchange was
made by the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie
(VOC), who needed money to finance their
worldwide maritime trade activities. Later on also
the shares of the West-Indische Compagnie were
exchanged in this building. The building was
designed by Hendrick de Keyser. The VOC was
responsible for the wealth the Dutch obtained
during the Golden Age (1600-1700).
When we arrive at the Dam Square, you will find
the following interesting buildings and attractions.
At the left corner you see the De Bijenkorf, this is
one of the finest department stores in Amsterdam.
Furthermore you see the statue The National
Monument, which is built (1956) to remember all
the victims of the WOII and armed conflicts. At the
corner of the Rokin you find the Dutch version of
Madamme Tussauds, where you can make a selfie
with you favorite famous person. Then you can
turn into the Kalverstraat one of the busiest
shopping streets of Amsterdam. But the most
dominant building on the Dam Square is the Royal
Palace.
3. Royal Palace
The Royal Palace was built between 1648-1665 and
designed by Jacob van Campen. It is an important
historical monument of the Golden Age. It’s first
function was Town Hall, nowadays it is used by the
Royal Family to welcome foreign Heads of State
and Royals and it is also used for exhibitions.
4. Nieuwe Kerk (The New Church)
We pass the Nieuwe Kerk (The New Church), the
building started in 1409 and went on until 1655.
The Church started as a Roman Catholic Church
but this changed in 1578 after the Eighty Years’
War, then it became a Protestant Church. Some
famous and important Dutch men have been
buried in this Church, namely Michiel de Ruyter
(Admiral), Joost van den Vondel (Author) and Pieter
Corneliszoon Hooft (Historian and Poem). Since
1814 the Church is used for coronations of the
Dutch Kings and Queens and consecration of the
Royal weddings.
We cross the street and walk into the
Raadhuisstraat, we follow this street until the
Prinsengracht. At our right, you see the Westerkerk
(designed by Hendrick de Keyser and built
between 1620-1631). In this church many
prominent inhabitants of Amsterdam have been
buried, including Rembrandt van Rijn.
5. Anne Frank Huis
We turn right into the Prinsengracht, we stop at no.
267, also known as the Achterhuis of Anne Frank,
here we see a long queue, this queue is there
every day of the year. In this house Anne Frank
wrote her famous diary during the years that she
had been hiding for the Germans during WOII.
After this visit, we walk into the Prinsengracht,
where we enjoy all the beautiful and old canal
houses (grachtenpanden). All this houses were
built during the Golden Age, in a time that
Amsterdam and the Netherlands, were extremely
rich and famous for their international trade.
The canals are built as an extension of the city
center in the 16
th
century, the canals form semi-
circles around the center, first the Singel, then the
Herengracht, the Keizersgracht and finally the
Prinsengracht. The canal houses are built slim (due
for tax reasons), high and deep, the front door was
built higher and was only reachable by stairs, this
was because of the danger of flooding. In the
basement, loft and attic the trade goods were
stored, the beam installation can still be found on
the top level of the houses and is nowadays used
for moving heavy furniture. Behind the houses
there are gardens. The canal houses are used
nowadays as living houses or office space.
It is a beautiful day, so we treat ourselves with an
ice cream.
We follow the Prinsengracht until the Leidsegracht,
here we turn left until the Keizersgracht, where we
turn right. Again we follow the Keizersgracht until
the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat, here we turn left until the
Herengracht, where we turn right. When we arrive
at the Reguliersgracht we walk straight on to the
Thorbeckeplein (square) and on to the
Rembrandtsplein (square).
The Rembrandtsplein is a very lively square, you will
find here restaurants, bars, coffee shops, a
discotheque and a cinema. The Pathé Tuschinski
cinema is definitely worth visiting. The cinema was
built in 1921, it’s style is a mixture of the
Amsterdam School, Art Nouveau and Art Deco.
We walk through the Utrechtsestraat and turn left
on the Herengracht until we find ourselves on the
Amstel, this is both the name of the river in front of
us and the street we walk on. We turn right until
the Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge). Here we cross
the Amstel and turn to the left.
6. Hermitage Amsterdam
Here we pass the Hermitage Amsterdam, this is an
annexe of the Hermitage Museum in Sint-
Petersburg (Russia). To seal the 300 year-old
historic bond between both cities, it was decided
to set up a permanent exhibition. (Tsar Peter the
Great, had run an internship in 1697 at a shipyard
in the Netherlands and in the 19th century, the
Dutch King William II married the Tsars daughter
Anna Paulowna).
The previous name of the building was Amstelhof
and it was built in 1681 as a nursing home and it
kept this purpose until 1999. The owner then
decided that is was no longer suitable as a nursing
home and handed it over to the municipality. The
architect Hans van Heeswijk is responsible for the
transformation from nursing home into museum,
a lot of historical details, as for example the
classical facades, retained in the renovated
building. The museum was an instant success,
visitors from all over the world are visiting the
changing exhibitions.
7. Stopera
Across the road you see a modern building, this is
the Stopera (Stadhuis (Town Hall) and Opera),
which was designed by Cees Dam and Wilhelm
Holzbauer, it opened its doors in 1986. The
building has two functions, it is both the Town Hall
and the Opera House.
We continue our way by turning into the
Waterlooplein. The Waterlooplein is the name of
this square but also the name of the eldest flea
market in Amsterdam, which is held on Monday till
Saturday. At the end of the Waterlooplein, you turn
right and find yourself at the Zwanenburgwal.
8. Museum Het Rembrandthuis
You follow this street until the Sint
Antoniesbreestraat/Jodenbreestraat, here you find at
your right hand the Museum Het Rembrandthuis.
As the name suggests the great painter
Rembrandt van Rijn has lived in this house from
1639 till 1658, he bought the house for the amount
of 13.000 guilders.
We cross the street and look out over the water of
the Oude Schans. We pass the Sint Antonies lock at
the left bank and walk into the Snoekjesgracht.
Here we cross a bridge and walk into the Krom
Boomssloot, we are now entering the oldest part of
the center of Amsterdam.
9. Waag
We follow the Krom Boomssloot until the
Koningsstraat, where we turn left straight to the
Nieuwmarkt. On the Nieuwmarkt, there is a building
called the Waag. It started off in the 15
th
century as
a city gate, called the Sint Antoniepoort. In the 17
th
century it was reconstructed and it became a
Waag, on the upper floors various guilds were
accommodated, each with their own entrance, the
emblems of the guilds can still be found above the
entrances. In the 19
th
century it had several
purposes, fire department, municipal archive and
museum. Nowadays you can have a drink and a
hot meal in the Waag because it has become a
restaurant/café.
10. Red Light District
We cross the square behind the Waag and walk
into the Monnikenstraat (Monkstreet), this is a
funny name because we now entering the Red
Light District of Amsterdam, also known as De
Wallen. The Red Light District stretches from the
Warmoesstraat to the Zeedijk. You can find here
shops, restaurants, bars, sex shops, sex clubs and
window prostitution (which if a typical Dutch
phenomenon). The prostitute is sitting behind a
window and is luring her customers inside her little
“workroom”, there she negotiates with them about
the wishes and prices and close her window.
This part of Amsterdam was built in the 13
th
century and there are prostitutes active in this
area since the 15
th
century; depending on the
prevailing morality, they are more or less
tolerated. Today they even have to pay income tax!
11. Oude Kerk (Old Church)
At the Oudezijds Achterburgwal we turn right and
cross the first bridge on our left hand into the
Oudekennissteeg. Here we cross another bridge
until we stand in front of the Oude Kerk (Old
Church). The Oude Kerk is the oldest still existing
building of the city of Amsterdam. It was built in
1306 in honor of St. Nicolaas, bishop of Myra and
patron of the sailors. It started as a Roman
Catholic Church but after 1578 it became a
Protestant Church. The design is Dutch Gothic and
through the ages numerous of extensions and
restorations have been made to the church. Inside
you will find the graves of many famous
inhabitants of Amsterdam, who have lived during
the Golden Age.
We pass the church on the Oudezijds
Voorburgwal/Sint Olofssteeg and turn at the corner
into the Nieuwebrugsteeg and at the end we find
ourselves again on the Prins Hendrikkade in front of
the Central station. So we are at the end of this
enervating walk, we hope you have enjoyed it!
Hotel tip Amsterdam:
We found a hotel in the city center of Amsterdam,
the Dream Hotel Amsterdam, which is located at
the Vijzelstraat no. 73. The hotel opened its doors
back in 2014, so it is a rather new hotel. The
interior of the rooms is modern, the rooms are not
too spacious because of the old building the hotel
is situated in. Opposite of the hotel one can find a
tram stop, so you can take the tram to explore
Amsterdam.
If you are interested in this or another hotel in
Amsterdam, please check here for the availability
and best offers.
Copyright 2016 CityWalkSights
