Amsterdam is getting ready for its 750th birthday in 2025. On 27 October 1275, the count of Holland mentioned a small settlement on the Amstel River (‘Amestelledamme’) and its people for the first time. Count Floris V granted them the freedom to transport their goods through the county of Holland without paying taxes. This privilege is seen as the basis for Amsterdam’s rise and bloom as a trade superpower in the 17th century. From 1300 to 1700 the city built its (in)famous trade network and grew from 1000 to 200.000 inhabitants, absorbing many customs from near and afar. Walking through the historic center of Amsterdam, this history is never far.

During this walk, our Dutch teacher and historian Onno will take you on a journey through time. From the Dam – the very dam in the river where the first inhabitants lived – we follow the traces of the urban expansions. We’ll pass by the facades of buildings as Sweelinck, Spinoza, and Rembrandt saw them. We cross canals dug by the generations that built the city. We look for the remains of low and high culture, the rich and the poor, slavery and freedom.

In an hour and a half, you’ll explore both the known and hidden gems of historic Amsterdam as you journey from Dam Square to the H’ART Museum, the temporary location of the Amsterdam Museum. To get the most out of this tour, we suggest combining it with a visit to the Amsterdam Museum. The museum visit is optional but we strongly recommend doing it before the event for a better experience. The ticket price doesn’t include entrance to the museum – you can buy your museum ticket here.

Programme:

10:00 – Students visit the Amsterdam Museum at H’ART Museum (optional)
11:45 – The walk starts from Dam Square
13:15 – The tour finishes at the Amsterdam Museum at H’ART Museum

If you want to join, you can register below. While you register for the event, please let us know in the remarks what your current level is.

At 10:00 o’clock there will be another tour for students with an A+ level. Visit this page to sign up.