Visit Holland - The Netherlands

Amsterdam in Wikipedia (English)

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

Exhibition venues

  • Amsterdam EXPO, Amsterdam's newest exhibition venue, hosting the world's best and most popular travelling exhibitions, like Body Worlds (2012) and Tutankhamun, his tomb and his treasures (until May 5, 2013)

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

Red-light districts

There are several red-light districts in Amsterdam:

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.

Periodic events