Dam area in Amsterdam. Dame Square and Royal Palace Amsterdam Central Square on the map

The “heart” of the capital of the Netherlands, the main square of the city is Dam. It was Dam Square that essentially laid the foundation centuries-old history Amsterdam.

A little history

This story is quite interesting and far from the most banal. Dam Square is a dam on the Amstel River. By the way, the name “Amsterdam” comes from just these two derivatives: “Dam” and “Amstel”. Until the 13th century, several fishing villages were located on the territory of the city. This place was located in a lowland, in a swamp, and was constantly subject to floods. In this regard, a decision was made to build a protective dam. This happened around 1270-1275. Subsequently, the dam was constantly strengthened and expanded. So gradually a square was formed in its place, which united all the nearby settlements and marked the beginning of the development of the city.

Today, Dam Square is the center of political, commercial and cultural life not only Amsterdam, but the Netherlands as a whole.

The square stretches approximately 200 meters in length and has an almost rectangular shape. Such scope and space is very atypical for Amsterdam. When you get to the square after narrow canals and cramped sidewalks, houses matching each other, your eyes immediately begin to run wild. But soon your attention will definitely focus on the majestic Royal Palace - the main architectural dominant of Dam Square.

A huge palace rises right in the center of the square. Its height is 90 meters. The Royal Palace was built in 1648, during the so-called “Golden Age” of Holland - the economic prosperity of the state.

All buildings in historical center Amsterdam stands on powerful multi-meter piles, buried in swampy soil. The Royal Palace is no exception; its foundation required a record 13,659 piles 12 meters long! The architecture of the palace belongs to the style of Dutch classicism.

The name of this attraction fully justifies itself - the palace is at the disposal of the Dutch monarch. But not for permanent residence. Various special events take place here: the reception of foreign guests, the ceremony of transferring the throne, weddings of the family of monarchs, etc. This does not happen very often, of course. Therefore, it was decided to make the Royal Palace accessible to tourists.

Inside you will find a huge hall measuring 36 by 18 meters and a height of 27 m, as well as several smaller rooms decorated with paintings by the famous Rembrandt, Bohl and other outstanding Dutch artists.

You can visit the Royal Palace every day from 10 am to 5 pm.

Entrance fee is 10 euros.

As mentioned above, sometimes royal ceremonies are held in the palace and on these days it is closed. Information about the work of the palace can be obtained on the official website, where you can also purchase tickets online.

Other attractions of Dam Square

The Royal Palace is far from the only attraction of Dam Square.

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

On the left side (if you stand in the square facing the Royal Palace) is the building of a branch of the famous London Wax Museum Madame Tussauds. There are about 20 such branches around the world, the Amsterdam one is one of the most famous. There are about 50 figures in the museum. Here you can take a photo with Lenin, Einstein, Barack Obama.

A unique opportunity: to look under the skirt of Marilyn Monroe:) The famous Dutch artist Van Gogh is also here, and many, many others.

Purchasing a ticket at the door will cost 23.5 euros, and on the website 19.5 euros- good savings.

New Church ( Nieuwe Kerk)

On the right side is the New Church. It is noteworthy that it is quite difficult to call it “new”, because it was built in the 15th century - only a few decades later than the Old Church :) Since then, the Nieuwe Kerk has been repeatedly destroyed, rebuilt and reconstructed, and only in the 17th century it acquired its Gothic appearance , and at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century it was supplemented with neo-Gothic elements.

In fact, the building of this church is incredibly unique, since even after severe fires and destruction there was some surviving part of it that has survived to this day. The modern appearance of the church contains a small piece of each era - a real find for architecture lovers.

On this moment The church does not fulfill its original functions, but is used as an exhibition hall. The cost of visiting depends on the exhibition, on average 8-10 euros. You can find out the theme of the exhibition and the ticket price for it on the official website of the New Church.

National Monument

On Dam Square there was also a place for a memorial in memory of the victims of the Second World War. It is located immediately at the entrance to the square, on the opposite side from the Royal Palace. The Netherlands, like most European countries, did not resist Hitler for long - only 5 days, after which a pro-German government was installed here with all the ensuing consequences. The 22-meter column was installed in 1956. Every year on May 4, Remembrance Day, a ceremony is held here in memory of those killed in this terrible war.

Dam Square is considered the heart of Amsterdam. You've probably already imagined representatives of the fair sex leisurely strolling along the paving stones? It’s not worth it, they have nothing to do with it at all - the name of the square appeared thanks to the dam on which it is located. The dam was built on the Amstel River back in the 13th century; it connected its banks and was an important social and economic facility in the Netherlands.

The square is adjacent to the busiest and largest streets of the city - Demrak Boulevard, Rokin, Nieuwendijk, Damstreet and others, and the main transport hub of the capital is only 700 meters from here. The square itself is a rectangle of 20,000 m², and this space, naturally, is not empty - exhibitions, fairs, festivals and various performances are held there every year. Centuries ago, fishing boats unloaded here, and one of the largest seafood markets in Europe was located here, but Napoleon did not like the specific local spirit, and he ordered the liquidation of all shopping arcades, filling up the mouth of the river, so the square became a separate place, cut off from the waters Amstel. From the beginning of the 19th century, a stock exchange operated here, which existed here for exactly one hundred years. Later, the fashionable Benkorf store opened in its place, offering wealthy customers expensive clothes, gourmet food and luxury furniture. But in the last century, rallies, processions, parades and other events with national status began to be held on Dam Square.

So, what are the attractions located on Dam Square? First of all, you should pay attention to the neoclassical building of the Royal Palace, which inspires respect and admiration - gray walls dotted with lace bas-reliefs, long windows, a characteristic dome in the center - who, if not the royal couple, would live here? Despite all this luxury, this house once housed the city hall, but in the 19th century it was decided to give the building to the king. Now every inquisitive tourist can visit the palace under one condition - The Royal Family must be away at this time.

Next to the neoclassical style is the Gothic style - the New Church. It is new not because it was built recently, but because in the Middle Ages there was an Old Church in Amsterdam, but the number of parishioners grew and a new building was built for everyone who wanted faith. Nowadays there are no services held here, and the building is purely cultural in nature - organ concerts and exhibitions are held here.

No square is complete without monuments, and Dam is home to the National Monument, created by Jacobus Oud in 1956 to commemorate those killed in World War II. It is a snow-white column, surrounded on one side by a wall in which sculptures of human martyrs are mounted.

In addition to these epic buildings and structures, on Dam Square there is a Madame Tussauds wax museum with “heroes of our time”: artists, politicians, movie stars - all of them are gathered under one roof. Every avid tourist certainly comes here to add to his collection of photographs with celebrities. Well, after a walk it’s nice to sit in a restaurant or cafe, of which there are plenty, drink wine and watch the ideal European life outside the windows.

Dam Square is located in the center of Amsterdam and has been the center and heart of the capital of Holland for seven centuries. Here are the most famous buildings in the city, including the Royal Palace and the New Church. Dam Square got its name from the word dam on the site of which it was formed; in Dutch, dam is Dam.

Dam Square stretches 200 meters from west to east and 100 meters from north to south, and is shaped like a rectangle connecting two ancient streets - Damrak and Rokin.

Festivals and celebrations are held on Dam Square and there are always a lot of tourists here.

How to get to Dam Square

Ladies Square is located in the very center of the city. From the Central Station, walk 750 meters - about 10 minutes.

You can also take a tram from Central Station - almost all routes go past Dam Square.

From the history

In the 13th century, local fishermen built a lock and dam on the Amstel River. Then there was a small village with a dozen houses, and at the beginning of the 14th century there was only an empty space where they sold fish. But gradually the dam expanded, strengthened, and over time a city arose around it, which was named Amsteledamme - Amsterdam, named after the Amstel river and the dam - Dam, built on it.

Especially many changes occurred in Dam Square in the 15th and subsequent centuries. Stock exchanges and the city hall, scaffolds and monuments, residential buildings and offices were built here.

Today, despite the presence of buildings of different eras and styles here, they all coexist peacefully and look harmonious. Among the main buildings are the Royal Palace and the New Church, the De Bijenkorf department store and Madame Tussauds, the National Monument and the ABN AMRO bank, as well as the Grand Hotel Krasnopolsky.

Royal Palace

The Royal Palace is majestic building, located in the western part of Dam Square.

The building was built in 1648-1655 by the founder of Dutch classicism, Jacob van Kampen. This is the main structure on Dam Square and many call it the eighth wonder of the world.

Church New Church on Dam Square

The New Church (Nieuwe Kerk) is one of the oldest religious buildings in Amsterdam; it began to be built with money from merchants in 1380 and took 70 years to build. The name Nieuwe Kerk means New Church; it was built instead of the Old one - Oude Kerk, since it was small and could not accommodate all the parishioners. The temple was erected in honor of St. Mary and St. Catherine.

Fires in 1421 and 1452 damaged the temple, and the last one in 1645 practically destroyed it. The church was completely restored in the Gothic style, and then reconstruction was carried out at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries, when neo-Gothic elements appeared in its decoration. The last changes were made in the middle of the 20th century.

The church is National - coronations and weddings of royalty are held there. On April 30, 2013, Willem-Alexander became King of the Netherlands, the first man on the throne since 1890. Divine services are not held in the temple; exhibitions and concerts of organ music are often organized here.

In the Nieuwe Kerk church you can see colored stained glass windows and a beautiful altar, as well as a carved ceiling above it and an ancient organ miraculously preserved in a fire in 1645.

The admiral is buried in the temple navy Holland Michael de Ruyter, who won many naval battles of the Anglo-Dutch War and died off the coast of Sicily in a battle with the French. The Ruyter Monument is surrounded by symbolic figures of Strength, Prudence and Perseverance. The temple also houses commanders Jan van Galen, Jan van Spyck and the famous poet and playwright Joost van den Vondel, who is called the Dutch Shakespeare.

National Monument

On the opposite side of the square, opposite the Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, an obelisk 22 meters high was erected in 1956 - this is a National Monument glorifying the heroes who died during the Second World War. Every year on May 4, a solemn ceremony is held here in memory of the victims. The monument is made of cream travertine, and the victims are depicted as naked figures bound in chains, over which the crucified Christ stretches out his hands.

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

Dam Square is located famous Museum wax figures of Madame Tussauds, built in the 15th century. Its main exhibits are figures of celebrities. You will see not only figures famous personalities, but also a show about the history of Amsterdam.

Dame Square will remind you of St. Mark's Square in Venice - there are also many pigeons of various breeds and “living” sculptures.

Dam Square is the rectangular heart of Amsterdam, 200 meters from east to west and a hundred meters to the south. This place is famous for events that have gone down in history; the most famous buildings in the capital are located on the square.

Dam Square is located 750 meters south of the central station. If you cross the square and go southeast, you will find yourself in the red light district, on Rue de Wallen. If you go west, you will find yourself in the Royal Palace, right there is the Gothic New Church (Nieuwe Kerk), buildings of the 15th century and the famous Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

The Heroes' Stella is on the opposite side of the square; it was installed in 1956. It is a national monument designed to memorialize the fallen heroes of World War II. The most famous city hotel in Amsterdam, Krasnopolsky, and the Benkorf department store are also located here. In addition, Dame Square resembles St. Mark's Square in Venice - its permanent inhabitants are tame pigeons. Here you can find birds of various breeds.

The history of the square is the history of the dam. Back in the 13th century, a dam was built on the Amstel River to create a connection between settlements on different banks. Gradually it was strengthened, expanded, and the dam turned into a city square, and the city began to develop around it. The two squares Platse and Middeldam merged together.

Life in this place was in full swing. A large fish market opened, and ships began to moor at the dam for loading and unloading. The government chose Dam Square as the center of political life and the site where the town hall was built. The market square itself and the houses that nestle on it can be seen in many ancient paintings.

The market ceased to exist at the beginning of the 19th century by order of Bonaparte. Then, in the 19th century, the former mouth of the Amstel was covered with earth, and Dam Square was cut off from the water. The new place, which was reclaimed from the water element, was built up.

The stock exchange appeared in 1837, which was demolished at the beginning of the last century and in 1914 the world-famous Benkorf department store rose on the square. For a long time it was the center of tram traffic in Amsterdam, and horse-drawn trams could be seen here.

Dam Square has gone down in history as a place great tragedy. Newsreel footage left a sad day in the memory. This happened on May 7, 1945, two days passed after the surrender of Germany. Jubilant Amsterdammers gathered in the city center, preparing to meet the liberators.

The square was filled, people danced, sang and congratulated each other. The joy was interrupted by machine gun fire. The Germans installed a machine gun on the balcony of one of the buildings and began to shoot joyful civilians. On the edge of peace, 120 people were seriously injured and 22 died.

Mass events and demonstrations are constantly held on the square, including National Remembrance Day. Several times a year, large fairs are held in the central square of Amsterdam, especially colorful and large-scale on the eve of Christmas. Besides this favorite place meetings of city residents. To the question “Where will we meet?” - the most common answer is “On Dam Square”.

The beautiful name of the square evokes an association with the fair sex, but this is not an entirely correct assumption. The word "Dam" means "dam" in Dutch. This name was chosen for a reason: eight centuries ago, a dam was erected on the Amstel River, which served as a connection between the settlements formed along the banks of the river, and over time it began to fulfill a different role - the central city square, where you could get a lot of entertainment.

David Saddler

Dam Square and Heineken Beer Cart

Dam Square is the main venue for cultural events in the city. Demonstrations and colorful fairs are held here, especially in the run-up to the Christmas holidays.

It is located on the Amstel River dam, which was built in the 13th century. The proximity to the river and merchant ships turned the square into a place of trade. At first there was a large fish market here, then, after filling up the mouth of the Amstel River, a stock exchange was opened on the square, and after its closure, the Benkorf department store. In the 20th century, the square became a place for various meetings, including those of national importance.

Dam Square is a rectangle of 20 thousand m2. It can be reached on foot from the central railway station and in 10 minutes. There are many attractions here that attract tourists from all over the world. These include the Royal Palace, located in the western part of the square. This building housed the city hall for two centuries, and later, in 1808, it became the residence of the ruling dynasty and remains so to this day. It was opened for tourists only in the 21st century; the royal family does not officially use it, but from time to time official receptions are organized here, and even weddings of members of the royal family are held.

There is a building not far from the palace New Church. Built in the 15th century, it ceased operation in 1979 and now hosts art exhibitions and organ music concerts. In the immediate vicinity of the church there is the famous Tussauds Wax Museum. A National Monument was erected nearby. The stone stella was erected in 1956 in memory of the victims of World War II. Every year, ceremonies are held here - Days of Remembrance of the Dead.

On the square there is one of the most famous hotels in the city - Krasnopolsky, on its territory there is winter Garden and a miniature distillery. There you can sample local drinks and relax in the garden. Near the hotel there is a department store called De Bijenkorf, prestigious and expensive.

The decision to settle in this place will be an excellent choice for people who love noisy pastimes and are not strapped for money.