Dam Square
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Why go
- The 4 May national remembrance ceremony, the largest of the year, drawing about 20,000 people.
- The Gothic Nieuwe Kerk, a cultural centre and concert hall since 1979, beside the palace.
- The Damrak, the city's first port, links the square with the station square.
Opening hours
Today00:00 – 23:59Show all
Don't miss
- Royal PalaceThe neoclassical palace at the west end was the town hall from 1655 until 1808. Louis Bonaparte used it as his palace. The royal house bought it in 1939, and it became a royal palace again.West end of the square On the map
- Nieuwe KerkConsecrated in 1409, the 15th-century Gothic church burned down three times, most recently in 1645, and was rebuilt each time. Its towers were never finished; work on them stopped in 1563.Beside the Royal Palace On the map
- National MonumentA white stone pillar by Jacob Oud, erected in 1956 for the victims of World War II. On other days it is a popular meeting point for young people and tourists.East side of the square On the map
- Madame Tussauds AmsterdamThe wax museum is inside the Peek & Cloppenburg store and has been here since 1991.South side of the square On the map
- De BijenkorfThe department store was built in 1912–1915 between Damrak and Warmoesstraat.East side, beside the National Monument and the NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky On the map
Know before you go
- Open 24 hours a day, every day.
Tips for your visit
- Walk in from Kalverstraat, Nieuwendijk or Damstraat: all three end at the square.
- Several busy, mostly pedestrian streets meet at the square.
Best time to visit
- 4 May is National Memorial Day, when the Dutch observe it on the square.
Interesting facts4
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In the Canon van Amsterdam, a set of city history windows, Dam Square is window number 1.
Dam (Amsterdam) - Wikipedia -
1946
Winston Churchill visited the square in 1946; about 30,000 people cheered him.
Dam (Amsterdam) - Wikipedia -
Summer brings many pigeons to gather on the square.
Dam (Amsterdam) - Wikipedia -
2001
The whole square was relaid in cobblestones in 2001.
Dam (Amsterdam) - Wikipedia
Shorts
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Amsterdam top 10 tourist attractions - Dam SquareExploreThisPlace
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At Amsterdam near Dam SquareWhiskers and Wonders
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Dam Square Amsterdam, NetherlandsLeo F
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Powerful worship on Dam Square in Amsterdam 🔥 Great I AmPresence Revival
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Exploring Dam Square, Amsterdam, Expat Explore Travel from Subha N.TourRadar
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Tourists Stopped to Worship Jesus in Amsterdam - Raise a Hallelujah …Presence Revival
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Royal Palace in Dam Square - AmsterdamGVTN - Global Virtual Travel Network
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Don’t Stay Near Dam Square 😳 Amsterdam Hotel Trap (Noise + Costly!)Rajeev LifeStyle
History
The square takes its name from the dam across the Amstel, probably built around the time the city was founded. The dam was the first link between the settlements on the Warmoesstraat and the Nieuwendijk, and a lock let ships pass. The dam widened into a square that became the city's central market, where ships could also moor. The square grew from two older squares, and the dam itself held a large fish market. Over the 19th and 20th centuries it became the nation's forum for public events. The former mouth of the Amstel was partly filled in, leaving the square surrounded by land on all sides.
- 1265–1275A dam and sluice were probably built across the Amstel. The square takes its name from the dam.
- Late Middle AgesThe dyke crest was widened into a square called the Middeldam.
- 1652A fire destroyed the old gothic town hall while a new one was already being built.
- 1808Louis Bonaparte had the old weigh house demolished, complaining that it blocked his view.
- 1854The last execution was held outside the town hall.
Show all
- 1910sThe square was extended northward and took its present form.
- 7 May 1945Thousands waited on the square for Canadian troops, two days after German capitulation. Men on a club balcony set up a machine gun and fired into the crowd. The shooting left 22 dead and 120 badly injured; 2013 evidence suggests up to 33 died. A Dutch resistance member firing from the royal palace tower ended the shooting.
- 1980The 1980 coronation riots, the largest post-war civil disturbance in the Netherlands, centred on this square.
How to get there
- On footWalk about 750 metres south from Centraal Station; the Damrak links the station square with this square.
- TramSix tram lines serve the square, including lines 4 and 14, which have a stop here.
- TrainRokin metro station lies just south of the square, under the street of the same name.
Sources: Dam Square - Wikipedia · Dam (Amsterdam) - Wikipedia · Place du Dam - Wikipedia · Dam (Amsterdam) - Wikipedia · checked 17 Oct 2026
Questions and answers
How big is Dam Square in Amsterdam?
Dam Square is roughly rectangular, about 200 metres from east to west and 100 metres from north to south.
How far is Dam Square from Centraal Station?
Dam Square lies about 750 metres south of Centraal Station. You can walk down the Damrak, or take one of the six tram lines that serve the square.
Is Ripley's Believe It or Not! on Dam Square?
Yes. Ripley's Believe It or Not! has been housed on Dam Square since 2016.
What happens on Dam Square on 4 May?
Every 4 May the Dutch observe National Memorial Day on the square, with the central remembrance ceremony held there each year.
What is Dam Square called in Dutch?
In Dutch the square is called De Dam, and its short name is Dam.
Is the red-light district close to Dam Square?
The De Wallen district lies a short distance beyond the square's northeast corner.
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