Top 10 Bridges of Amsterdam: From 17th-Century Stone to 21st-Century Steel Welcome to my personal catalogue of the spans that connect Amsterdam. After exploring and photographing hundreds of the city's 1,200+ crossings, I have curated a list of my favourite ten. This collection is not a definitive…

The Silent Sentinels of Amsterdam: Hildo Krop and the Art of the Bridge If you walk through Amsterdam long enough, you will eventually feel a pair of stony eyes watching you. They might belong to a granite faun peering from a canal wall or a stoic worker carved into the pillar of a massive…

From Control Centers to Luxury Suites: The Evolution of Amsterdam’s Bridge Houses For centuries, the rhythm of Amsterdam was set by the "Brugwachter" (bridge watcher). As boats approached, these guardians of the waterway would spring into action, collecting tolls in a wooden clog dangled from a…

Bridge Structure | Glossary Welcome to the ultimate architectural glossary for Amsterdam’s iconic waterways. To understand these structures is to understand the soul of the city, where engineering meets art to solve the unique challenges of building on water. Part 1: Core Engineering Terms…

The Silent Canal: Why the Golden Bend Has No Bridges If you stand at the intersection of the Leidsegracht and look toward the Amstel, you will notice a striking anomaly in Amsterdam’s urban fabric. In a city defined by its dense web of over 1,500 bridges, there is a massive, spanning silence on…

Mapping the Enlightenment: The 1721 Covens and Mortier Plan of Amsterdam The 1721 map by the renowned publishing house of Covens and Mortier marks a significant transition in the cartographic history of Amsterdam. As the 18th century dawned, the focus of mapmaking began to shift from the purely…

The Aesthetic Zenith: Frederick de Wit’s 1688 Masterpiece of Amsterdam The 1688 map by Frederick de Wit is widely celebrated as the aesthetic pinnacle of 17th-century Dutch cartography. By the time De Wit published this work from his shop on the Kalverstraat, Amsterdam had reached its maximum…

Completion of the Grand Design: Jacob Bosch’s 1679 Map of Amsterdam The 1679 map by Jacob Bosch serves as a vital historical bridge, capturing Amsterdam at the precise moment it reached its territorial maturity. Following the ambitious master plans laid out by Daniel Stalpaert in 1662, Bosch’s map…

The Master Architect’s Vision: Daniel Stalpaert’s 1662 Blueprint for Amsterdam The 1662 map by Daniel Stalpaert is one of the most significant administrative documents in the history of urban planning. While earlier maps by artists like Van Berckenrode or Blaeu were often created as luxury items…

The Definitive Urban Portrait: Balthasar Florisz. van Berckenrode’s 1657 Map The 1657 map by Balthasar Florisz. van Berckenrode stands as a monumental achievement in 17th-century cartography, representing the most detailed and visually rich "portrait" of Amsterdam ever produced during its Golden…

A Window into the Past: Jan Micker’s 1652 Painted Bird’s-Eye View The 1652 work by Jan Micker is a unique masterpiece in the cartographic history of Amsterdam because it is not a traditional map, but rather an atmospheric oil painting that looks backward in time. While contemporary 17th-century…

The Pinnacle of Baroque Cartography: Joan Blaeu’s 1649 Map of Amsterdam Published in 1649, the map of Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu is one of the most celebrated urban plans in history. It was a centerpiece of his monumental Toonneel der Steden (Theatre of Cities), a collection designed to showcase the…

The Grand Blueprint: Balthasar Florisz. van Berckenrode’s 1625 Masterpiece The 1625 map by Balthasar Florisz. van Berckenrode is widely considered one of the most significant and visually stunning urban plans of the Dutch Golden Age. While earlier works like the 1599 Pieter Bast map showed a city…

The Dawn of a New Era: Pieter Bast’s 1599 Four-Part Map of Amsterdam The 1599 map of Amsterdam by Pieter Bast represents a monumental leap in the technical and artistic quality of Dutch cartography. Published at the very end of the 16th century, this four-sheet copperplate engraving arrived at a…

The 1544 Masterpiece: Cornelis Anthonisz.’s Colored Woodcut of Amsterdam While the 1538 painting was a singular treasure, the 1544 woodcut by Cornelis Anthonisz. is the work that truly put Amsterdam on the map—literally. As the first printed map of the city, this twelve-block woodcut allowed for…

The Genesis of Urban Cartography: The 1538 Map of Amsterdam The 1538 map of Amsterdam holds the prestigious title of the oldest surviving map of the city. Painted in oil on wooden panels by Cornelis Anthonisz., this masterwork predates his more famous 1544 woodcut. While the later woodcut allowed…

The Height of Elegance: The 1737 Gerrit de Broen Map of Amsterdam The 1737 map by Gerrit de Broen captures Amsterdam at a moment of supreme confidence and architectural maturity. While the earlier 17th-century maps documented a city in the throes of construction, De Broen’s 1737 edition presents…

Beyond the City Walls: The 1770 Jan Mol Map of Amsterdam While many historical maps of Amsterdam focus on the grand architecture of the Canal Belt, the 1770 map by Jan Mol (often associated with the engraver Pieter Mol) offers a refreshingly different perspective. Published during a period of…

Mapping a Masterpiece: The 1782 Gerrit de Broen Plan of Amsterdam The 1782 map by Gerrit de Broen stands as one of the most definitive visual records of Amsterdam at the end of the 18th century. While earlier maps, like the famous 1544 woodcut by Cornelis Anthonisz., captured the city in its…

The mystery of the “missing” bridge 33 in Amsterdam Title The Haarlemmerweg and the Haarlemmervaart near Sloterdijk seen from the top floor of the Sloterdijkschool (Dorpstraat B71, from 1938 Velserweg 2) Description With Bridge 33 in the foreground. On the left the entrance to the…

Brug Vierendertig – Bridge 34 | Map and location Map and location of Bridge 34Bridge 34 is located on the Utrechtsestraat where it crosses the Herengracht a few steps away from the famous Rembrandtplein. It is the penultimate bridge before Herengracht under Hendrick Jacobsz. Staetsbrug (bridge 35)…

Brug Vierendertig – Bridge 34 | Amsterdam Bridge number 34 Unnamed. Brug nummer vierendertig This rather utilitarian road bridge, over which tram line 4 has been running since 1948, is located in Utrechtsestraat and crosses Herengracht.Unlike most bridges in the centre of the city, this bridge was…

De Isa van Eeghenbrug – Bridge 30 | Amsterdam This bridge is currently undergoing renovations, so here are a couple of pictures to give you an idea of what it usually looks like. Bridge number 30 (De Isa van Eeghenbrug), also known as brug nummer Dertig, is another impressive design created by…

Bridge 73 | Amsterdam Bridge of the Week: Brug 74, the Kerksluis In our series on the Reguliersgracht's famous seven-bridge alignment, we have so far visited the reconstructed brick arches of Bridges 71, 72, and 73 at the Prinsengracht junction. This week we move to the bridge that, more than any…

Bridge 72 | Amsterdam Bridge of the Week: Brug 72, Prinsengracht over de Reguliersgracht Last week we introduced De Duifbrug, Brug 71, named for the Catholic church of the dove just steps along the Prinsengracht quay. This week we move to its closest companion: Brug 72, the bridge on the southern…

Originally, the bridge was nameless, but informally referred to as the “Raambrug” due to its proximity to Raamsteeg. Additionally, it was also known as the “Appelmarktbrug” or “Appelmarktsluis,” due to the nearby apple market that was once held in the vicinity. bridges.cramberts.com/2022/02...

The iron bridge has wooden slats as a road surface, which gives the bridge the nickname Latjesbrug. This relatively new bridge is quite large and looks far too wide for the area and there is a reason for that which we will cover in the post about its history.

Ordinarily if a bridge is removed then the number is reassigned when there is a new bridge but so far I haven’t found any information on the location of the old bridge 7 which presumably should have been on the Singel between Bridge 6 and Bridge 8 bridges.cramberts.com/2022/02...

Unlike previous bridges over the Keizersgracht, this bridge has not been returned to its “old” appearance and has all the characteristics of the bridges that were laid down around 1893. The bridge number can be read above the widening of the middle bridge pier.

The bridge is located in the southern quay of the Brouwersgracht and spans the Prinsengracht.

The bridge is part of a set of three bridges (bridge 8, bridge 22 and bridge 106) in the traffic route to and from Amsterdam-West via Rozengracht. All three have the same appearance, which can be seen in the decorative ironwork for the balustrades. bridges.cramberts.com/2022/02...

The bridge connects Hartenstraat and Reestraat and spans Keizersgracht. It like the previous two bridges is in the boutique shopping area of ​​the #NineStreets in the historic Amsterdam central canal belt.

Named after the neighbouring Krijtberg or Sint Franciscus Xavieruskerk on the Singel. The church dates from 1883 and took the place of the former secret church in the Crijtberg house, which served the Jesuits. bridges.cramberts.com/2021/01...

Unlike elsewhere in the city, there is a former lock just a stone’s throw away , also called the Leliesluis (Lely Sluys). The contours of that lock are still visible in the Leliegracht.

This bridge is normally busy with tourists throughout the year as you have a good view of three national monuments the Anne Frank House, the Westerkerk and the Gunters & Meusers building.

Spijkenisse, NL is the location of this amazing set of bridges designed by Dutch artist Robin Stam. A decade after the Euro notes began circulating around Europe he started toying with the idea of turning these infrastructre fictions into physical realities. bridges.cramberts.com/home/de...

It is not clear where the name Pastoorsbrug comes from although it is suspected that it may have to do with a nearby hidden church at number 22 from around 1663 and its replacement the Sint Ignatiuskerk (also called De Zaaier) from around 1837.

The Nesciobrug gracefully stretches over the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, forming a vital link between Amsterdam and Diemen, while providing a direct pathway to IJburg through the Diemerzeedijk and the Diemerpark.

The bridge spans the Singel and forms the connection between the Heisteeg (towards the center) and Wijde Heisteeg (towards the west). bridges.cramberts.com/2022/02...

This architecturally impressive bridge was skilfully designed by architect Ton Venhoeven and holds a meaningful namesake, honouring the memory of the esteemed politician Jan Schaefer (1940-1994).

The Magere Brug’s architectural elegance showcases quintessential Dutch elements that have charmed visitors for generations. Its white-painted wooden railings, ornamental details, and arched design pay homage to traditional Dutch aesthetics.

Wooden and Metal Drawbridges in Amsterdam The first bridges in Amsterdam were all made of wood. Amsterdam has a number of drawbridges made of wood. The most famous example of this is the Magere Brug (aka the skinny bridge) over the Amstel. Very close by is a copy of that famous bridge, the the…

The bridge was named in January 2021 after D66 founder Hans van Mierlo who lived nearby and walked across this bridge to his pub.

The bridge was named in January 2021 after D66 founder Hans van Mierlo who lived nearby and walked across this bridge to his pub.

West Indian house bridge is surrounded by municipal and national monuments including the West Indies house which is a municipal monument since 1995, after which this bridge is named.

Melkmeisjesbrug (Milk maids bridge) Bridge number 16 (Brug Zestien) is our first pedestrian bridge! Exciting. Yeah okay just me then.

🌉 In 750 years our city has built almost 2000 💪 bridges, beautiful, cool, and very special. Which one is your favourite? Maybe the Skinny Bridge, a bridge named after a hero, or one in your neighbourhood you walk across every day. Let us know in the comments ⤵️ Credit: Amsterdam750 on Instagram

The modern history of the bridge 15 starts in 1879. Then the municipality of Amsterdam ordered the replacement of the movable bridge with a fixed one.

Haarlemmersluis – Bridge 14 | Amsterdam During the refreshment of the canal water at night, the Haarlemmersluis or the Eenhoornsluis are closed; however, they are never closed at the same time. #amsterdam

Bridge 13 | Amsterdam. Unnamed. Yeah it’s not where I expected if you have been following along the Singel, with the exception of Bridge 7 all the other bridges have been neatly ordered along the canal.