Dam Square
Introducing Dam Square –
Amsterdam’s most popular city square, the Dam Square is possibly the city’s heartbeat. As the location of some of the most beautiful and historically significant monuments and structures, this extremely famous city square is definitely a must-visit attraction in the Netherlands.
If you have been visiting my blogs, you will know that the other two most popular and gorgeous city squares and neighborhoods are Museumplein and Jordaan. In case you missed these, you can read all about them on my blogs here.
Out of all the famous and amazing museums, we have so far visited only the Moco Museum and you can read about it here.
And to know more about the pretty bustling neighborhood and shopping paradise of Jordaan, please visit this page.
Where is Dam Square located –
Located quite centrally in the city, very near to the Amsterdam Central station – Dam Square is approx. a 10 minutes walk along the Damrak i.e. the street running from the station towards the square.
We went to the Dam Square via the Metro (public transport) and alighted at the Rokin station. We have tried both routes and it seems that it’s closer via Rokin. It’s as close as, when you ascend up the escalator from the station at Rokin, you can almost see the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not museum.
A Brief History of Dam Square –
The Dam Square, quite literally derives its name from the dam built here over the river Amstel way back in the 13th century. It connected both sides of the river and grew into a city square. Established as a commercial hub where ships docked and a fish market sprang into action, this place is where the city started bustling.
Though there is another face to the history of Dam Square. It was also the site for many protests and hence subsequent violence over the years. From the 16th century Anabaptist riots to the German shootout of 1945, Dam Square has seen lots of violent protests. The last of them though, was in 1980 during the Amsterdam coronation riots. Since then this famous city square has been peaceful, it has been redesigned a little also.
Things to See in Dam Square –
Like I was saying, the #damsquare is an extremely popular place to visit in Amsterdam. And it’s location is such that, everyone visiting Amsterdam will have been to or crossed it at some point of time.
Royal Palace of Amsterdam:
The crowning jewel of the Dam Square is the Royal Palace or as it’s called here Koninklijk Palace. Even though it’s not as magnificent from the outside as you would have imagined palaces to be, the interiors screams of opulence and grandeur. From the grand stairs to the arched hallways, from the luxurious rooms to the magnificent decor – everything inside the palace speaks volumes of its class and magnificence.
National Monument:
The National Monument on Dam Square was built to commemorate the contributions and sacrifices of the Dutch soldiers who died in the Second World War. Erected on 4th May 1956, this monument attracts large crowds and dignitaries even today – especially on the 4th which is Remembrance Day here.
Nieuwe Kerk:
This is the New Church, situated right beside the Royal Palace. This is known for holding royal coronations and weddings and also art exhibitions.
Madame Tussauds:
A branch of its famous counterpart in London, Madame Tussauds wax museum stands proudly here. If you are a wax statue enthusiast or want to take pictures with your heroes, step inside this place and get your wish fulfilled. AS for us, we didn’t get inside this place and were content with just photographing from outside.
De Bijenkorf:
The grand old shopping paradise is well worth a visit. This huge warehouse or shopping place is quite expensive but it’s an experience in itself, shopping in the opulently designed building.
Other than all this, you can take a ride on horse drawn carriages. They seem quite interesting and a must try if you haven’t done this before.
Plus there are thousands of pigeons, you can play with them, photograph them or simply admire the playful antics of these lovely birds.
Last but not the least, there are many street performers always entertaining people here. Musicians strumming beautiful melodies, magicians showing off tricks and even artists in various costumes – Dam Square is never short on performers.
Wrapping Up –
I definitely recommend visiting Dam Square when you are in #amsterdam. Housing places of historical importance and exuding such beauty plus buzzing with life always, this city square is most definitely Amsterdam’s heart beat.
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