The Damrak in Amsterdam is a street and body of water between Dam Square and Central Station.
Originally the Damrak was the name of the straight stretch (a'rak' is a straight canal stretch) of the river Amstel between the Plaetse (until the early 17th century the name of the current Dam) and the IJ. The water flowed from the Rokin into the Damrak via a lock at the Plaetse and then flowed into the IJ. Here was part of the old port of Amsterdam. Where now the Central Station is, there was a series of piers in the IJ where larger ships could dock. The quay, which runs on only one side of the water, was called "Op 't Water" until the southern parts of the Damrak, between Dam and Oudebrugsteeg, were dammed in 1845 and 1883. Between 1845 and 1903 the Beurs van Zocher was built on the site where the Bijenkorf now stands.
The houses on the Warmoesstraat between the Nieuwebrugsteeg and the Oudebrugsteeg still stand with the rear facade in the unfilled part of the Damrak. At the Guldehandsteeg, which connects the water to the Warmoesstraat, the only remaining "waterway" where ships were unloaded is still in this row of facades. Excursion boats moor in this remaining part of the water (the "Wet Damrak").
Two bridges over the Damrak, the Papenbrug (near the Oude Kerk) and the Oude Brug, disappeared when it was filled (De Papenbrugsteeg and Oudebrugsteeg are still a memory). The Nieuwe Brug (bridge no. 303) is located where the Prins Hendrikkade crosses the Damrak. There is also a lock, the Nieuwe Brugsluis.
The Damrak is part of the route designed to give the traveler a first impression of the city after leaving the station. This route, called "Rode Loper", runs from Central Station via Rokin, Muntplein, Vijzelstraat/Gracht to the Weteringcircuit. There are many shops, hotels and (fast food) restaurants on the Damrak. Several alleys connect the Damrak with the parallel shopping street Nieuwendijk. On the filled-in part of the Damrak, on the Beursplein, are the Beurs van Berlage, the Stock Exchange and The Beehive. This is the entrance to the parking garage next to the Bijenkorf.
From 2003, construction work took place on the station side for the North-South line. In 2010, a tunnel was drilled under the Damrak for this metro line. After the tunnels were completed, the area was redesigned.
Translated by Google •
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