Leidseplein

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Leidseplein (1860)

The Leidseplein (German: "Leidener Platz") is a square in the city ​​center of Amsterdam . Along with Rembrandtplein, it is one of the most famous amusement places in Amsterdam .

location

The square is on the southern extension of the Leidsestraat and extends to the canal belt . On the south side it is closed by the Leidsepoort . The Marnixstraat leads to the west and the Weteringschans to the east . The streets branching off from the Leidseplein are the Lijnbaansgracht to the west, the Korte Leidsedwaarsstraat to the west and east and the Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen to the east, north of the Marnixstraat and the Weteringschans. From the Leideseplein it is about 800 meters to the famous Bloemenmarkt ( flower market ).

history

The Leidsepoort, laid out in 1664, was one of eight entrance gates ("Toegangspoort") to Amsterdam. It was canceled in 1862. The Leidseplein got its name after the Leidsepoort. A route to the city of Leiden used to start here . On June 3, 1875, the first horse-drawn tram ran from Leidseplein to the plantation district to the east. On August 14, 1900, an electric tram ran for the first time from Leidseplein to Haarlemmerplein .

As early as 1955, the COC Nederland opened a discotheque as a meeting place for homosexuals called De Schakel on Leidseplein. This remained unique in Europe in the 1950s.

In the early 1960s, a youth subculture emerged from the middle class and working class, called nozems . Nozem was the abbreviation for Nederlands – Onderdaan – Zonder – Einig – Moraal (German: "Dutch subject without any morality"). This resulted in another group of young people, the Pleiners , whose meeting point was the Leidseplein. They were against the materialistic affluent society and set themselves apart from the "older generation". The population was outraged when the police announced in the media that the youngest of the Pleiners, also known as the Leidsepleinjeugd (“Leidsepleinjugend”), had committed a large number of shoplifters.

Today the Leidseplein is a popular entertainment district with international restaurants, bars and cafes for both Dutch and tourists. Theaters De Balie , Theater Bellevue and the pop , rock and jazz concert buildings Melkweg , Paradiso and Stadsschouwburg are located here . Stadsschouwburg , built entirely of wood in 1771, was devastated by a large fire in 1870 and rebuilt in stone in 1892. It has been a listed building as a Rijksmonument since 1982 .

Leidseplein is a busy square with several tram lines, taxis, buses, and bicycle and car traffic. In the near future, the taxi stands and the tram stops, which are located directly on Leidseplein, are to be relocated, and an underground shelter for 2,700 bicycles is to be built in order to make the area clearer and to relieve traffic. South of the square is the Leidsebrug (“Leidsebrücke”) designed by the Dutch architect Piet Kramer in 1917, which leads to the Vondelpark , among other places . Here lies the Leidsebosje green area with two plane trees that are around 6.5 meters in circumference and are among the largest trees in Amsterdam. Opposite is the Holland Casino . Once a year the IDFA for documentaries takes place around the Leidseplein. The tobacco pipe museum Pipe-Museum-Amsterdam is located very close at Prinsengracht 488.

literature

  • Herman Souer: Omgeving Leidseplein, Oud – Zuid Hofjes van de Jordaan . Uitgeverij Uniepers, Hoorn 2004, ISBN 9789068253153

Trivia

Leidseplein was by the Dutch Revue - actor "Willy Walden" (real name: Herman Jan Jacob "Hemmie" Kaldewaay, 1905-2003), sung in the song as op de Leidseplein de lichtjes weer eens branden (German: "If on the Leidseplein the lights shine again ”).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ History of Nozems .Niederländisch, accessed 24 April 2010
  2. ↑ The Pleiners in the 1960s . Dutch, accessed April 24, 2010
  3. ↑ Gemeente Amsterdam: Description of the Stadsschouwburg  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Dutch, accessed September 21, 2012@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.amsterdam.nl  
  4. ↑ Author: Karijn van Dongen from July 29, 2009 ( Memento of the original from September 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . On www.amsterdam.nl. Dutch, accessed April 24, 2010 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / amsterdam.nl

Coordinates: 52 ° 21 '49.2 "  N , 4 ° 52' 55.1"  E