Where Dam Square Is
Dam Square sits a five-minute walk down Damrak from Central Station, right in the middle of the city center.
It’s the natural first stop for anyone arriving by train, which is part of why it’s always busy, day and night.
How It Got Its Name
The square dates to the 13th century, when a dam was built across the river Amstel to keep the Zuiderzee sea from flooding the settlement growing around it.
That dam gave both the square and the city their name.
In the 1960s, Dam Square became a gathering point for Amsterdam’s hippies, and it’s kept its role as an all-purpose public square ever since.
Expect street performers in summer, a carnival or Ferris wheel in spring, food stalls, and a fair number of pigeons.
The Royal Palace
The Royal Palace (Koninklijk Paleis) is the square’s most prominent building, a grand 17th-century structure on the west side.
It’s no longer a residence for the Dutch royal family, but it’s still used for official state receptions.
Directly across from it stands the Hotel Krasnapolsky, one of the city’s landmark hotels.
The National Monument
On the south side of the square is the National Monument, an obelisk built to honor Dutch soldiers and resistance members who died in the Second World War.
It was unveiled in 1956.
The monument holds soil from every Dutch province as well as from the former Dutch East Indies, and the provinces’ crests are set into the back of the tower.
It’s a working memorial as well as a meeting spot, so don’t be surprised to see it doubling as a bench.
What Else Is on the Square
The Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) sits beside the Royal Palace and now functions mainly as a venue for art exhibitions rather than regular services.
Just behind the Bijenkorf department store is the Beurs van Berlage, a former stock exchange building that’s now used as a concert hall and exhibition space.
Madame Tussauds’ Amsterdam wax museum is also on the square, along with the Bijenkorf and the Magna Plaza shopping center.
Between the crowds, the cafés and the shops, it can take a while to find a free seat.
What’s Nearby
Dam Square is also where Kalverstraat begins, running south toward Muntplein as Amsterdam’s busiest shopping street -- see our guide to Kalverstraat for what’s actually on it.
It’s also one of four squares worth knowing before you plan a day out; our guide to Amsterdam’s main squares covers Dam alongside Leidseplein, Museumplein and Rembrandtplein.
Just north of the square is the start of De Wallen, Amsterdam’s red light district -- our guide to the Red Light District lays out what’s actually there and the rules worth knowing before you wander in.
If shopping is the goal for the day, our Amsterdam shopping guide covers the streets and markets beyond Kalverstraat.
Getting There
Several tram lines stop at or near Dam Square, and it’s an easy walk from Central Station if you’d rather skip public transit.
Given how central it is, most people end up passing through Dam Square more than once on any trip to Amsterdam, whether they planned to or not.
