Tour of Amsterdam's history

What will we visit on this tour?

• Meeting point:

  Dam, 1012 JL Amsterdam, Netherlands

  Dam, 1012 JL Amsterdam, Netherlands

  Directions

How to get to the meeting point?

Guru instructions

I will be next to the monument in Dam Square with a red umbrella.

Address



Dam, 1012 JL Amsterdam, Netherlands

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By car



By PT



Walking



Cycling
• 1
  Outside visit

  Dam Square

  This is the oldest part of Amsterdam. I will tell about how the city got its name, when it was created and why people chose to make a town here. We will also see the Royal Palace. I will tell you about its history, by whom and when its constructed, and when it changed to a palace.

• 2
  Outside visit

  Rokin

  Between the Dam and Rokin we will see several examples of leaning houses, I will tell you why they are leaning. In Rokin we can see the beginning of the Amstel river. I will tell you a little about the history of canalization in the city and in the country. We will also see an old hospital that is now used by the University of Amsterdam (my university). And I will tell you about the history that we don't see and is below us.

• 3
  Outside visit

  Tuschinski Theater

  On the way to Rembrandtplein, there is an iconinc movie theater, the Tuschinski Royal Theater. It is a great example of twentieth century architecture in Amsterdam. I will tell you about its history and the different architectonic styles that are part of the building, specially about the Amsterdam School of Architecture.

  Show 10 more stops

• 4
  Outside visit

  Rembrandtplein

  Place of night entertainment today, old butter market in the past. Seriously, old butter market in the past. Besides talking a little about what you can do today there compared to what it used to be in the past, I will also point out why Rembrandt's statue is there.

• 5
  Outside visit

  Willet-Holthuysen Museum

  At this point I will give you a few details about the history of big houses in Amsterdam, specially those of the Herengracht. The Willet-Holthuysen is a good example because we can see its very looooooong garden from the street.

• 6
  Outside visit

  Blauwbrug

  From here you can have a great view of the Amstel, of the Stopera building, where the old Jewish neighborhood used to be located, and of the Magerebrug. We will talk about the history of the area.

• 7
  Outside visit

  Portugese Synagoge

  The oldest synagogue in the city. Very important for the identity of Amsterdam. From the street you can see the sun going through its huge windows from one side of the building to the other. Along the way to the synagogue, I will talk who were the people that created the building and why they came to Amsterdam.

• 8
  Outside visit

  Waterlooplein

  This area used to be a canal. Now it houses an important second-hand market.

• 9
  Outside visit

  Rembrandt House Museum

  The house of the famous painter. I will tell you why he had to leave the place and how the museum was able to reconstruct the inside of his house.

• 10
  Outside visit

  Nieuwmarkt

  On this old square we can see the Waag. I will talk a about the history of this area, why it has such a name and about the history of the Waag.

• 11
  Outside visit

  Chinatown

  In this neighborhood we can see the biggest Buddhist monastery in Europe. This is an area that has lots of restaurants, shops and markets from people of East Asia.

• 12
  Outside visit

  Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder (Our Lord in the Attic Museum)

  A clandestine church that now has its own museum. Why was it hidden?, when was it built?, what is its relation to the rest of the city? I will answer all these questions.

• 13
  Outside visit

  Oude Kerk

  THE oldest building in the city, also the last stop of the tour.