Spinoza
Situated on the Zwanenburgwal, near the Stopera (the combined Amsterdam City Hall and Opera House) is a statue of Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), a Dutch…
Gardens of the Rijksmuseum
The gardens of the Rijksmuseum (Rijksmuseumtuinen) surround the museum building. Architect Pierre Cuypers (who also designed Amsterdam's…
Locatelli in Amsterdam
Italian composer and violin virtuoso Pietro Antonio Locatelli came to Amsterdam in 1729 and lived and worked there until his death in 1764, advertising…
Vijzelgracht 20
The weaver houses on Vijzelgracht 20-26 were built between 1670 and 1671. Designed by architect Philips Vingboons (1607–1678) they contain…
Magna Plaza
The Magna Plaza shopping center is located on the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal across from the Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace) and the…
Beulingsloot
This short canal is a remnant of and old drainage ditch that previously ran more to the West. Now it runs from the Singel to the Herengracht,…
The Crowned City
Did Amsterdam really receive the right to carry the Emperor's crown above the city emblem as a gift of gratitude, or — much more prosaic — did they…
Wooden Police Stations
Across from the Betty Asfalt Complex and the Postzegelmarkt, on a small square at Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 287, almost at the height…
The Decay of Amsterdam’s Quays
Amsterdam has around 900 km (560 mi) quays and water borders, of which around 300 km (186 mi) are owned by third parties, who are responsible…
Sint Luciënsteeg
The Sint Luciënsteeg (Saint Lucia Alley) is a narrow street which runs between the Kalverstraat and the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal.…
Building on a Wet Sponge
Amsterdam was built on a swampy area of the Amstel estuary, regularly flooded, and consisting mostly of peat soil and bogs. This type of soil (thick compacted…
Amsterdam’s Kingdom of Heaven
The Hemelrijk (Kingdom of Heaven) is a smaller neighbourhood, between Singel and Hekelveld, named after an overpopulated slum area there,…