Amsterdam is known for many things – its picturesque canals, stunning architecture, vibrant nightlife, and, of course, its numerous bridges. The Dutch capital boasts more than 1,200 bridges, making it one of the most bridge-laden cities in the world.
The bridges of Amsterdam have a rich history, and many of them are significant landmarks in the city. Some of the most famous bridges in Amsterdam include the Magere Brug, the Torensluis, and the Python Bridge.
I originally posted all of this to Instagram at @bruggenvanamsterdam but of course that comes with limitations and Facebook/Meta tracking.
I also wanted to make sure I had a copy of all of this since I sporadically updated Instagram and meant I had notes in notepad, google keep and google docs.
I’ll keep them both in sync going forward but for now it may take a bit of time while I copy across the content from Instagram and add in additional photos with links to google photo albums.
You should also probably check out some things which were originally posted as stories as I didn’t want to interrupt the numbered flow of bridge posts. Because being a bit of a nerd things started off simply with Bridge 1 (Muntsluis) because of its central location in Amsterdam’s web-like central canal network, and from here the bridge numbers increase consecutively along Singel, and that was easy enough following around Herengracht and back up Keizersgracht, but that means now at around bridge 60 I can no longer just skip bridges because who would do that? So keeping this all in consecutive order is a pain but hey it is what it is. So below are things that are either not in Amsterdam (yes the Netherlands is more than Amsterdam) or they are interesting but no way would I ever be able to wait until their number would come up in order before posting about them.
Like the Bridges of Europe (Bruggen van Europa) a cool little set of pedestrian bridges I visited in February 2021. They are mini replicas of the fake bridges on Euro bank notes located in Spijkenisse.
Or the Python Bridge which at number 1998 it is going to be a long time before I get to that at the pace I am going right now.
Exploring the Enchanting Elegance of Amsterdam’s Magere Brug – Bridge 242
Discover the romantic allure and rich history of the Magere Brug, Amsterdam’s iconic Skinny Bridge that graces the Amstel River. From its legendary tales of eternal happiness to its twinkling lights at night, this bridge is a must-visit destination for any visit to Amsterdam. A Glimpse of Amsterdam’s Romance Amsterdam’s enchanting ambiance is epitomized by […]
The Nescio Bridge | Amsterdam Bridge 2013
The Nesciobrug Designated as bridge number 2013 in Amsterdam’s numbering system, is a remarkable feat of engineering named in honour of the renowned Dutch writer, Nescio. This elegant curved bridge features a hang-cable-stayed design, making it one of the longest and most impressive bicycle and pedestrian bridges in the Netherlands. Stretching an impressive 780 meters […]
Jan Schaefer Bridge – Amsterdam bridge number: 2000
The Jan Schaeferbrug: A Bridge Born from Collaboration and Innovation Jan Schaefer Bridge is another of Amsterdam’s newer bridges. It passes through the middle of Pakhuis De Zwijgerand spans the 200 metre-wide IJ Harbour. Every five years the bridge is dismantled for Sail Amsterdam. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kees Stoof (@cstoof) […]
Aalmoezeniersbrug – Bridge 68 | Amsterdam
The Aalmoezeniersbrug or Chaplains bridge is located on Leidsestraat and spans Prinsengracht. The name refers to the bestedelingenhuis or almshouse, which was located on Prinsengracht. The original shelter for poor orphans and widows was located next to what was Amsterdam’s Palace of Justice for more than a century and with which, at least the building, […]
Angenietje Swarthofbrug – Bridge 67 | Amsterdam
The Angenietje Swarthofbrug road bridge is located in the northern quay of the Leidsegracht and runs over the Prinsengracht. The bridge forms a whole with bridge 122 and the bridge 93 both of which are in the quays of Prinsengracht over Leidsegracht. The bridge had an untraceable none historic name and until April 2016 it […]
Brug 66 – Bridge 66 | Amsterdam
Bridge 66 is a road bridge and is located on the Runstraat and crosses over the Prinsengracht. In contrast to the bridges north of its, this bridge does not connect to a road on the other side of Prinsengracht directly, instead it leads to the northern quay of the Looiersgracht. As you can see from […]
Berensluis – Bridge 65 | Amsterdam
Bear Lock Forming the connection between the Berenstraat and the Elandsgracht and spanning the Prinsengracht, the Berensluis is relatively new. Well this version is anyway, dating from 1950, but of course there has been a bridge in this location since at least 1649 as it appears on Joan Blaeu’s map at that time. The bridge […]
De Reesluis – Bridge 64 | Amsterdam
De Reesluis (Bridge 64 The Roe Lock) The bridge is named after the deer as the southern part of the Jordaan there were many tanners who processed deer hides. The name of the nearby Looiersgracht also refers to this tanning activity. It is a continuation of Reestraat over the Prinsengracht in the city centre canal […]
Nieuwe-Wercksbrug – Bridge 63 | Amsterdam
Nieuwe-Wercksbrug (Bridge 63) The name of bridge 63 comes from the old name for the neighbourhood opposite the Westerkerk. At the time of construction, the Jordaan was known as the Nieuwe Werck. So it could have easily been named Jordaanbrug if it was built now. The Nieuwe-Wercksbrug is a fixed bridge in Amsterdam centre connecting […]
Brug tweeënzestig – Bridge 62 | Amsterdam
This bridge is located in the eastern quay of the Prinsengracht and crosses over the Leliegracht . #brug62 forms the end of the Leliesluis, a former lock complex from the time when the Prinsengracht formed the edge of the city. The name of the lock was not transferred to this bridge, but to #bridge61 which spans the Prinsengracht […]
Leliesluis – Bridge 61 | Amsterdam
This bridge is named after the Leliegracht, which in turn is named after the Oude Leliestraat , which in turn is named after the house “In de Witte Lelye” on the Singel. It spans the Prinsengracht and connects the north bank of the Leliegracht with the other side of the Prinsengracht. This bridge is normally […]
De Lucas Jansz Sinckbrug – Bridge 36 | Amsterdam
Bridge number 36 The Lucas Jansz Sinck bridge (De Lucas Jansz Sinckbrug) brug nummer zesendertig This bridge is also located on the west bank of the Amstel but unlike De Hendrick Jacobsz. Staetsbrug (brug 35) this one spans the Keizersgracht, and just like bridge 35 it is the last bridge of the canal. The numbers […]
De Hendrick Jacobsz. Staetsbrug – Bridge 35 | Amsterdam
Bridge number 35 The De Hendrick Jacobsz. Staets Bridge (De Hendrick Jacobsz. Staetsbrug) brug nummer vijfendertig The bridge is located on the west bank of the Amstel and spans the Herengracht , which ends here. On the other side the canal continues, but under the name Nieuwe Herengracht , starting at the Walter Süskind Bridge.Bridge […]
Brug Vierendertig – Bridge 34 | Amsterdam
Bridge number 34 Unnamed. Brug nummer vierendertig This rather utilitarian road bridge, over which tram line 4 has been running since 1948, is located in Utrechtsestraat and crosses Herengracht.Unlike most bridges in the centre of the city, this bridge was rebuilt when the tram was already a planned mode of transport around 1884 and it […]
Spijkenisser Eurobruggen | The Bridges of Europe
Amsterdam has hundreds of historic bridges but Spijkenisse just outside Rotterdam has a unique set of bridges worth a day trip! The bridges on the back of the euro banknotes are not real European bridges, but abstractions. Forms from European cultural history were chosen, including Gothic and Rococo. “They chose bridges, because they stand for […]
Borneobruggen – Bridges 1997 & 1998 | Amsterdam
The Python Bridge, officially known as High Bridge (Hoge Brug), is (bridge number 1998) and is a pedestrian bridge in Amsterdam. It’s part of a pair of bridges called the High and Low Bridges (Lage Brug 1997) or the Borneo bridges that connect the Panama quay on the peninsula Sporenburg with Borneo Island. The bridges […]
Kaasmarktsluis – Bridge 32 | Amsterdam
Bridge number 32 The Cheese Market Lock (Kaasmarktsluis) brug nummer tweeendertigThe Bridge of 15 bridges (Brug van 15 bruggen). This viewpoint is named the 15 bridges because standing on the odd-numbered side with your back to Thorbeckeplein you can see 6 arched bridges across the Reguliersgracht. Look down Herengracht to the left and you see […]
De Tante Saarbrug – Bridge 31 | Amsterdam
Bridge number 31 The Aunt Saar Bridge (De Tante Saarbrug) brug nummer eenendertig This bridge was named Aunt Saar after Sara Bachrach / Sara Bacharach / Sara Bacherach (1887-1982), who had a flower stall on Rembrandtplein for many years and a store on Thorbeckeplein. The bridge did not receive its name until 2016 when the […]
De Isa van Eeghenbrug – Bridge 30 | Amsterdam
This bridge is currently undergoing renovations, so here are a couple of pictures to give you an idea of what it usually looks like. Bridge number 30 (De Isa van Eeghenbrug), also known as brug nummer Dertig, is another impressive design created by Piet Kramer. Interestingly, this bridge was officially named in 2016 and is […]