Category: Dam Square

A the center of the historical heart of Amsterdam, Dam Square is Holland’s best-known square.

It is a handy central location from which to explore Amsterdam’s medieval city centre.

Was Amsterdam named after a dam in the river Amstel?

Dam in the river Amstel Most tourist guides say that Amsterdam developed around a dam built in the river Amstel around 1270 AD, and that this dam which was located at present-day Dam Square — gave the city its name.

But historians say that decades earlier the small settlement in the Amstel delta was already known as ‘Aemsterdam’ or, alternatively, ‘Amstelredam.’