# Nightsky’s trip to Amsterdam (May 2012)



## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

*About Amsterdam:

Population: 791 000 (metro 2 290 000, 7 millions in Randstad)
Tallest building: Rembrandt Tower (150m)
Founded year (city rights): 1306*

Amsterdam is the largest city and constitutional capital of the Netherlands (though the Hague has the government buildings). The city is famous for its canals and its many charming, narrow canal houses. Amstel, a former river, is the most famous canal.The landscape is very flat so many people go by bike. The 4 largest cities of Netherlands form Randstad, a metropolitan area where Amsterdam is the largest city. The city is famous for its vibrant nightlife and its liberate view on drugs and prostitution, with many coffeeshops and a big red light district. Amsterdam is a very cultural city with a lot of museums, some really famous ones. Many ships and boats in all sizes can be seen on the canals and in the harbor. It is also famous for typical Dutch things, as a large flower market and many cheese stores. In the city center you can find many pedestrian streets and squares with open air restaurants. It is easy to walk in the city center, but you can also take the white and blue trams that you see everywhere, and trains take you easily to the outskirts or to nearby towns. The largest square is called Dam and is like a hub of the city. Nieuwmarkt, Liedseplein and Rembrandtplein are nicer and more relaxed squares with outdoor restaurants. While you mostly see old buildings in the center, in the outskirts and in the harbor you can find very modern office blocks and brand new skyscrapers. Amsterdam feels like a liberate, modern, old and young city at the same time.

My point of view:

I visited Amstedam for 6 days in the end of May, flying to Schiphol from Copenhagen. I stayed at a hostel in the red light district, called Heart of Amsterdam. It might feel strange, but the area is actually pretty safe, even after dark, and it is centrally located between Dam and Nieuwmarkt. The weather was really good during my visit, unusual for Holland, it was about 25C and sun all the time. I made day trips to Rotterdam, the Hague and Utrecht, the 4 biggest cities of Holland (separate threads will be created for them). You can reach all of them within just one hour by train. I also passed by Leiden, Delft and Haarlem. The 3 biggest cities in Holland are all so called “multicultural”cites, they have about 50% immigrants, something that surprised me since I haven’t been in Holland since the 80s, as a child. I visited 4 museums, met new friends at the hostel took a ride at the canal boat and went to 2 rock concerts.

DAY 1:
Schiphol Airport:


























The bourse house.









The eye, the new film museum.

City center, near Dam Square:








The Royal Palace.









The national monument.

Red light district:
















My hotel is to the right.

Chinatown:

















Nieuwmarkt:

















Canals:

































City center, others:
























Flower market.


































































View from Kalvertoren shoppingcenter:


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

More city center:

































Rembrandtplein:
























































Stopera, city hall and concert hall.










































































Willet-Holthuysen Museum:


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## 600West218 (Aug 30, 2010)

Very nice photo set. Gives a feel for the place. Thanks for sharing.


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## Godius (Aug 31, 2011)

This is one of the best showcases that ive seen on this forum.

:applause:


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Thanks a lot! More will come soon


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Leidsestraat.

Leidseplein:
















































































American Hotel.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

It was warm, the 2nd day there wasn't even any clouds in the sky. But first more from day one:


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Museum district:

















Vondelpark:


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## Dr.Seltsam (May 28, 2008)

One of my favorite cities in Europe! Thanks for sharing your view on Amsterdam! Beautiful photos!


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## [email protected] (Jan 17, 2004)

Nice photos! I hope you had a great time.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Dam Square:

















Magna Plaza (former Main post office, now shopping galleria)









Inside Magna Plaza

































De Bijenkorf department store.









The Royal Palace.


















Nieuw Kerk, The new cathedral.


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## Linguine (Aug 10, 2009)

great new thread for Amsterdam, beautiful and lovely photos...thanks for sharing.:cheers:


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Thanks! And here some more...>


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Jordaan:

















































Westerkerk.









Rozengracht.


































Red light again (De Wallen):
































































These swans were always outside the hotel. May be they like the red light.









The hotel.


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

Great photographs of Amsterdam - the best I've seen - in terms of giving a real sense of being there.


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## seb.nl (Jan 29, 2010)

Nightsky said:


> These swans were always outside the hotel. May be they like the red light.


They are bewiched prostitutes, only to return human on the longest day of the year...

(i made that up)

Nevertheless, very nice serie you've made


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

^^
@openlyJane: That's very nice to hear :cheers: 

@serb.nl: That's what I thought :cheers::cheers:


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

DAY 2:














































Inside Nieuwe kerk at Dam square.










































Anne Frank Huis. Went inside but no photos were allowed. Anne Frank was a jewish girl that hide herself from the Nazis inside this canal house.



















Anne Frank.



















The central station. I took trains to all other cities from this famous renaissance building.


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## 600West218 (Aug 30, 2010)

Beautiful city and nice thread.

I'm like you were - I was there when I was young. I need to get back there soon.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

In the district Omval, at the Amstel station, somewhat outside the city center you can find the 2 tallest buildings in Amsterdam:

















They are called Rembrandttoren (150m) and Mondriaantoren (123m).


























The university is also in Omval.


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## Jennifat (Aug 7, 2005)

Excellent photos!

Amsterdam is truly a one-of-a-kind place. The Netherlands is lucky to have such a jewel for its capital!


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Zuidas is a new district in Amsterdam’ southern outskirts. It has the largest number of skyscrapers in Amsterdam. Many of them are brand new. There are about 7 highrise districts in Amsterdam, but this is by far the largest.









The skyline of Zuidas. It is located in the south outskirts of Amterdam, within less then an hour train ride to Schiphol and the Hague.

























































WTC Amsterdam.









































Ito-toren.



































Amsterdam Symphony Towers (105m tall), completed in 2009.


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## World 2 World (Nov 3, 2006)

thx for sharing the pics:cheers:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Really great and very nice photos from Amsterdam, Nightsky


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## Hoogloper (Oct 13, 2005)

You made a great impression of my home city, thanks Nightsky.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Thanks! This part looks really futururistic in my opinion.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

The Rock is the name of this highrise from 2009, because it resembles a rock.


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

It is really unusual to see pictures of high-rises in Amsterdam. Unexpected. Thanks.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

openlyJane said:


> It is really unusual to see pictures of high-rises in Amsterdam. Unexpected. Thanks.


^^Yes indeed! But there are acutally many, mostly in the outskirts.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Had to take the tram one stop.









North part of Zuidas.









Ernst & Young (87m) from 2007 is the building with the crosses.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

A residential area in Zuidas, close to the skyscrapers:


















































Rembrandt/Mondriaan towers from a distance.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Back in the old city center:









Nieuwmarkt.

























East church.



















































Waterfall on the glass wall on an apartment building!


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

The Rembrandt museum.

Inside Rembrandt museum, once the home of Rembrandt:
































































Rembrandt’s techniques were shown by this artist.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Eastern Docklands (Oosterdok), a newly built harbor area behind the station:
















Nemo, a science museum that since 1997 is housed in this building designed by Renzo Piano.









































The maritime museum.









The new municipal library in Eastern Docklands.


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## openlyJane (Feb 3, 2010)

A great range of images. Amsterdam is a city of contrasts it seems. It was nice to see some of the suburban residential areas.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

The new municipal library. Inside the library:


































The view from the library:








































































Sea Palace, a floating chinese restaurant that is a smaller copy of Jumbo in Hong Kong.

















The Eye, a brand new film museum and the former headquarters of Shell. These 2 buildings are situated just opposite the central station, with ferry connections to the other side.









The Eye was designed by Delugan Meissl and inaugurated in april 2012.









The backside of the central station, that stands on 9000 poles in the harbor.


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## Godius (Aug 31, 2011)

Nice update. The Eye looks impressive.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

A special version of The Eye:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Indeed very nice update, Nightsky


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

A typical Dutch dish.

And some of “Amsterdam by night”, much from the red light district:


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