t Thought-provoking exhibition at the Hollandsche Schouwburg
t Thought-provoking exhibition at the Hollandsche Schouwburg
Part of the Jewish Historical Quarter, this former theatre is now a memorial to the 104,000 Dutch Jewish victims of World War II. Thousands were detained here before deportation to concentration camps. Post war, the building was abandoned until 1962. A basalt column with a base in the shape of the Star of David now stands on the site of the stage. Written behind it is: “To the memory of those taken from here”.
Following its restoration in 1993, the building became an education centre. On the ground floor, a candle illuminates the names of the war victims. Upstairs, there is a touching permanent exhibition on the persecution of the Jews in the Netherlands from 1940 to 1945.
A huge glass box that juts into the IJ, this spectacular concert hall opened in 2005. Sharing its complex with the BIMHUIS, Amsterdam’s leading jazz venue, Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ is versatile. It is capable of hosting both intimate chamber music performances and large-scale concerts, with standing room for audiences of up to 1,500 people. As well as classical music, it presents performances of everything from electro to world music. The building also runs an annual programme of contemporary art and photography exhibitions. Order tickets for the coming season online before 1 October for discounts of 20 to 35 per cent.
windmills once dotted the Dutch landscape.
t De Gooyer windmill is a quintessentially Dutch image
Of the six remaining windmills within the city’s boundaries, De Gooyer, also known as the Funenmolen, is the most central. Dominating the view down the Nieuwevaart, the mill was built around 1725, and was the first cornmill in the Netherlands to use streamlined sails. It first stood to the west of its present site, but the Oranje Nassau barracks, built in 1814, acted as a windbreak, and the mill was then moved to the Funenkade. The octagonal wooden structure was rebuilt on the stone footings of an earlier water-pumping mill, demolished in 1812.
By 1925, De Gooyer was in a very poor state of repair and was bought by the city council, which fully restored it. Since then, the lower part of the mill, with its neat thatched roof and tiny windows, has been a private home, though its massive sails still creak into action sometimes. Next to the mill is the Brouwerij Het IJ, one of two independent breweries in the city.
Beginning life as a small apothecary’s herb garden in 1682, this green oasis in the centre of Amsterdam now boasts one of the world’s largest botanical collections. Its range of flora expanded when tropical plants were brought back by the Dutch East India Company. In 1706, it became the first place outside Arabia to succeed in cultivating the coffee plant.
The medicinal herb garden has several species of plants that were available in the 17th century and are of great importance to medicine, such as Acorus calamus. The glass-domed Palm House, built in 1912, contains a collection of palms, conservatory plants and cycads, including one that is more than 400 years old. The restored orangery has a café and terrace, where art shows with a botanical theme are held.
A modern glass and aluminium construction, designed by Moshé Zwarts and Rein Jansma, was opened in 1993 to make room for the tropical, subtropical and desert plants. There is also a butterfly house, with many species flying around, and a shop where you can purchase plants and gardening tools.
Experience Plantage
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EAT Café Restaurant Plantage Dine in the leafy courtyard. J6 ⌂ Plantage Kerklaan 36 ∑ caferestaurantdeplantage.nl ¡¡¡ Restaurant Stalpaert Het Scheepvaartmuseum’s café offers snacks and soups. K5 ⌂ Kattenburgerplein 1 ∑ hetscheepvaartmuseum.com ¡¡¡ Brouwerij Het IJ Cheeses and sausages accompany artisan beers at this brewpub. M6 ⌂ Funenkade 7 ∑ brouwerijhetij.nl ¡¡¡ |
The Museum ‘t Kromhout is one of the oldest working shipyards in Amsterdam. Ships were built here as early as 1757. As ocean-going ships got bigger in the second half of the 19th century due to industrial developments, the yard, due to its small size, turned to building lighter craft for inland waterways. It is now used only for restoration and repair work. The museum is dedicated to the history of marine engineering, with engines, maritime photographs and a well-equipped, original forge.
INSIDER TIP
Tai Chi enthusiasts can join other practitioners every morning in the peaceful, uncrowded Oosterpark. Open-air lessons are free of charge and you can just turn up to take part. They take place next to the vintage bandstand. As well as the picturesque setting, Oosterpark has a large population of wild birds that add to the calming atmosphere; grey herons are the most visible, but you may also spot parrots.
t Resistance posters and memorabilia on display in the Verzetsmuseum
Located in a building that used to be the home of a Jewish choral society, the Resistance Museum holds a fascinating collection of memorabilia recording the activities of Dutch Resistance workers in World War II. It focuses on the courage of the 25,000 people actively involved in the movement. On display are false documents, film clips, slide shows, photographs, weaponry, equipment and personal items belonging to the workers.
By 1945 there were over 300,000 people in hiding in the Netherlands, including Jews and anti-Nazi Dutch. Subsequent events organized by the Resistance, like the dockers’ strike against the deportation of the Jews, are brought to life by exhibits showing where the refugees hid and how food was smuggled in. The museum includes a special children’s wing, Verzetsmuseum Junior, in which the real-life wartime experiences of children are told. The story begins via a time machine that transports visitors back to the 1940s.
The redevelopment of the old VOC warehouses at Entrepotdok has revitalized this dockland area. It was the greatest warehouse area in Europe during the mid-19th century, being a customs-free zone for goods in transit. The quayside buildings of Entrepotdok are now a lively complex of offices, homes and eating places. Some of the original façades of the warehouses have been preserved, unlike the interiors, which have been opened up to provide an attractive inner courtyard. Café tables are often set out alongside the canal. On the other side, coloured houseboats are moored side by side, and herons doze at the water’s edge.
t Portrait Gallery of the Golden Age, Hermitage Amsterdam
The State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia, decided upon Amsterdam as the ideal city in which to open an international satellite branch, which would display rotating temporary exhibitions drawn from the Hermitage’s rich and extensive collection.
The Hermitage Amsterdam opened in early 2004, in a side wing of the Amstelhof (a former old people’s home), with a spectacular exhibition of fine Greek gold jewellery from the 6th to the 2nd centuries BC. Other exhibitions have included the collection of the last Tsars Nicholas and Alexandra, and the Portrait Gallery of the Golden Age. The Amstelhof building, which stands in a lovely position overlooking the Amstel river, has been fully restored.
The Hermitage Amsterdam now occupies the whole complex, with two exhibition wings, an auditorium and a children’s wing that encourages youngsters to discover their own creative talents.
There is a café-restaurant with a lovely courtyard garden where visitors can enjoy an invigorating cup of tea or coffee, lunch or a refreshing glass of wine.
Experience Plantage
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STAY Hotel Arena With 139 rooms and suites, decorated in tones of grey and white, this hotel has views over Oosterpark and a pretty courtyard. K8 ⌂ ‘s-Gravesandestraat 55 ∑ hotelarena.nl ¡¡¡ Hotel Rembrandt This small hotel in a 19th-century merchant’s house has single, double and family-sized en-suite rooms. One has a copy of Rembrandt’s The Night Watch. J6 ⌂ Plantage Middenlaan 17 ∑ hotelrembrandt.nl ¡¡¡ |