List of attractions in Amsterdam

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Amsterdam, one of Europe's capitals, has many attractions for visitors. The city's most famous sight is the 17th-century canals of Amsterdam (in Dutch: 'Grachtengordel'), located in the heart of Amsterdam, they are added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Museums

Nemo museum in Amsterdam

Churches

Bridges

  • The Magere Brug is probably the most famous draw bridge in Amsterdam.
  • The Blauwbrug, which connects the Rembrandtplein area with the Waterlooplein area.
  • The Python Bridge, bridge connects Sporenburg to Borneo Island and won the International Footbridge Award 2002.
  • The Jan Schaeferbrug, built in 2001, straight through warehouse De Zwijger, after a design by architect T. Venhoeven

Buildings

  • Royal palace, former town hall, built in 1648.
  • Stopera, combined town hall and opera house.
  • Kalvertoren, shopping mall located in the busy Kalverstraat.
  • AEX, stock exchange.
  • Beurs van Berlage, originally designed as a commodity exchange by architect Hendrik Petrus Berlage, now used for conferences.
  • Centraal Station, neo-Gothic building.
  • Waag, built as part of the city's fortifications in 1481-1494, later a weighing house, now a cafe and museum.
  • Montelbaanstoren, built in 1512 as a part of the city's fortifications.
  • Munttoren, the tower was built in 1619-1620 and it is the southern tower among all other ones in Amsterdam
  • Pakhuis De Zwijger, built in 1933-1934 after a design by architect J. de Bie Leuveling Tjeenk, this was a warehouse for cooling perishables.
  • The house with the waterfall, at the Zuiderkerkhof.
  • Nieuwe Wereld, New World, by architects Meyer and Van Schooten. The name goes back to the 1980s when squatters lived here and called their place 'End of the World'.
  • Barcelona Building, building from 1993 by architect B. Albert on the Levantkade.
  • Emerald Empire, building on the far end of KNSM Lane by architect J. Coenen.
  • Magna Plaza, a former post office dating back to 1899 converted into a shopping mall in 1990
  • The Whale, mega-apartment building by architect F. van Dongen. It took five years to complete (1995–2000).
  • Skydome, 60 metre-tall tower block designed by architect W. Arets, with three vertical grooves.
  • Lloyd Hotel, built between 1917-1920 as an emigrants' hotel.
  • East India House, headquarters of Dutch East India Company, a 17th Century Dutch trading giant, from 1606 to 1798. Now a university building.
  • Rembrandt Tower, a 135-metre skyscraper.
  • Bijlmerbajes, a prison in Amsterdam near Amstel station.Amsterdam ArenA, a football stadium, home to Ajax football club.
  • Begijnhof, one of the oldest inner courts in Amsterdam.
  • Portuguese Synagogue, impressive building founded by the Sephardic Jewish community in 1670.
  • El Tawheed Mosque, a mosque founded in 1986.
  • Homomonument, a memorial in the centre of Amsterdam commemorating all gay men and lesbians who have been subjected to persecution because of their sexual orientation.
  • Millennium Tower, a 97.5-metre, 24-floor office building.
  • Olympic Stadium, built as the main stadium for the 1928 Summer Olympics. It was designed by the architect Jan Wils.
  • The Amsterdam Metro, a metro system with three main lines.
  • Public Library by architect J. Coenen on Oosterdokseiland, near Central Station. Has a wonderful view over the city.
  • Shan He Hua Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Europe built in the traditional Chinese style.

Concert halls

Diamond factories

Red-light districts

There are several red-light districts in Amsterdam:

Squares

There are many squares (suffixed with plein) in Amsterdam. Here is a partial list of some of the better-known ones:

Open-air markets

Breweries

  • Heineken Brewery, located in the borough De Pijp. Now a museum.
  • Brouwerij 't IJ, located at the foot of the beautiful De Gooyer windmill.
  • Brouwerij De Prael, located at the Oudezijds Voorburgwal in the heart of the red-light district

Zoos

  • Artis, the oldest zoo in the Netherlands.