Audiotour Damrak

From port to entrance portal

This audio tour by architour provides an informative picture of the historical and current developments along the Damrak.

Originally the Damrak was the port of Amsterdam. The open connection with the harbour front on the IJ gave a view of the moored ships. On the water of the Damrak, the smaller ships could even enter the city and moor as far as the Dam. Initially, only one side of the Damrak was built on with narrow Amsterdam buildings, but with the construction of the Beurs, the advance of large buildings on the East side began.

The Red carpet

The street became more and more urban. The most radical turnaround came with the construction of Central Station on the IJ, which closed off Damrak from the open harbour front. The transition from the city to the ports was no longer at Dam Square, but it moved to the IJ.

The Damrak transformed from an exterior to the entrance portal of the city. Insurance offices and banks followed, followed by hotels, shops, restaurants and cinemas. The area is now part of the Rode Loper, a project that aims to upgrade the entire main axis from Central Station through the centre to De Pijp – it is no coincidence that this is also the route of the new metro line.

Discover ten striking buildings

During the audio tour, visitors and residents are taken along the Damrak, past ten striking buildings. You explore the area in an individual way, supported by a digital map and some current and historical photos per building.

At each stop, you can listen to an explanation about the architecture for about 5 minutes, but also about the origins of the institutions and companies. The narrator is a local architect and architectural guide who shares his experience in an accessible yet well-researched way. He knows how to tell a story about every project.

The tour is available for free and is offered to you by Biz Damrak-Beursplein. All you need is a smartphone with earbuds. The starting point of this audio tour is Damrak 1015.