Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Stopera
Right
Museum Het Rembrandthuis
Oude Zijde
T
HE STREETS OF THE OUDE ZIJDE (OLD SIDE)
are packed with historic
and beautiful buildings, though many are buried in the seediest parts. As
the name suggests, this is where Amsterdam has its roots; the city grew from
a ribbon of land on the eastern bank of the Amstel between Damrak and
Oudezijds Voorburgwal (which means “before the city wall”). Today, the
Oude Zijde incorporates the medieval city, built around the Oude Kerk, and
the area to the east, where development started in the 15th century and
continued over the following two centuries to accommodate Jewish émigrés.
An area of richness and contrasts, within its boundaries lie the Nieuwmarkt
(dominated by the Waag, a 15th-century city gate
turned weigh-house), the university quarter,
Chinatown, the Red Light district, and what
remains of the old Jodenbuurt
(see p48)
, where
four former synagogues have been combined to
form the superb Joods Historisch Museum.
4
Oosterdok
1
Oude Kerk
BEURS
PLEIN
5
Sights
2
1
Oude Kerk
2
Nieuwmarkt
3
Museum Het
Rembrandthuis
4
Zeedijk
5
Red Light District
6
Stopera
7
Joods Historisch
Museum
8
Portugees-Israëlitische
Synagoge
9
Hash Marihuana
Hemp Museum
0
Montelbaanstoren
Oude
Zijde
9
0
q
Nieuwmarkt
4
4
3
v
4
6
v
8
7
S T
E L
q
v
Waterlooplein
250
yards
0
metres
250
76
