Tourist attractions Loenen

Traditionally the aristocratic district, this southern part of the canal belt, between the Leidsegracht and the Amstel, is more refined than the northern part but also more commercial and animated. Culture and nightlife are centred on two squares, ..

The Museumplain is the focus for the city’s cultural life, boasting three of Amsterdam’s greatest museums: the Rijksmuseum , the Van Gogh Museum , and the Stedelijk Museum (covering 1850 to the present day), drawing tourists from around the globe..

Opened in 1973, this museum contains hundreds of Van Gogh's paintings, drawings and letters, through which his development can be followed from the Nuenen period (1883-1885) to the Auvers-sur-Oise period (1890). There are also some works by artists w..

The Rijksmuseum’s jewels are on the first floor: 17C portraits, still-life paintings and landscapes. Numerous works by Rembrandt include The Syndics of the Clothmakers' Guild , and The Jewish Bride ; four Vermeers including Woman in Blue Reading a..

Established by the French in The Hague in 1798, the original collection was transferred to Amsterdam in 1808 by Louis Bonaparte, who added The Night Watch by Rembrandt. The collection was initially housed in the Royal Palce and then the Trippenhuis, ..

The road is flanked by canals crossed by small bridges one of which leads to a house surrounded by a smart garden. Embedded between green isthmuses and flooded by gentle light, the lakes of Loosdrecht, which are in old peat bogs, stretch over around ..

The very shady canals in the centre of Utrecht (Oudegracht and Nieuwegracht) have the peculiarity of being bordered by a quay much lower than street level. There are vaulted cellars there.

This museum has a rich section on painting and the decorative arts from Utrecht and its surrounding area. Some furnished rooms are dedicated to the decorative arts in the years 1625, 1750 and 1975. Gold and silversmiths’ work , a dolls' house fr..

Restored after the death (1985) of the owner Madame Schröder, this house was built in 1924. Internationally famous, it illustrates to perfection the architectural trends of the De Stijl movement to which the architect G. Rietveld belonged: elemen..

Built from 1321 to 1382 in the Gothic style and restored at the start of the century, this campanile influenced many native belfries. It is the highest one in the country. It was once linked by an arch to the nave of the cathedral that was destroyed ..

The late-Gothic former monastery of St John of Malta and a neighbouring house from the 18C bring together religious art collections tracing the history of Christianity in the Netherlands from its beginnings to today (liturgical vestments, manuscripts..

The world’s largest flower auction draws Dutch and foreign florists in their droves. Sales take place in a vast complex of hangar buildings, distinguished by a red tulip symbol. Inside, visitors can get a good view of the activities below from the g..

This large, well-maintained park was created in 1838 by the Natura Artis Magistra ("Nature, mistress of the arts") society, and takes its name from the organisation. The zoo is home to some 6000 animals (nearly 1200 species), including so..

The Museum of modern art is constantly being reinvented. Its collections contain work from 1850 to the present day, from the classics of modern art like Manet, Picasso and Mondrian to the most recent developments: minimalist installations and industr..

Formerly the Admiralty's principal warehouse, this vast building, erected on 18,000 piles, has housed the Amsterdam Maritime Museum since 1973. The collections present a fairly exhaustive overview of the Netherlands' maritime history, whether trade, ..

Set up in a 15th Century orphanage, this modern museum uses paintings, objects, sculptures and documents to recapture the great events in Amsterdam's history. It depicts the city's illustrious inhabitants and shows the development of its society over..

Completed in 1931, this work by Duko (1884-1974) is a series of terraced, mostly cubic shapes, the volumes of which, all different and are superimposed on one another or harmoniously juxtaposed. The whole thing, which plays tricks on the eye with h..

This enormous brick-built castle (the largest in the Netherlands),is surrounded by a moat and dates from the 14C and 15C. Burnt down by Louis XIV's soldiers, it was rebuilt from 1892 onwards by the architect P.J.H. Cuypers in the neo-Gothic style. ..

The five bunkers one of which has six bastions (Turfpoort) have been converted into a museum. Canons, weapons, uniforms, engravings and an audiovisual presentation illustrate the lively history of the town. The high points of the visit are the listen..

This attractive Renaissance town hall has stepped gables and dates from 1601. The interior is furnished in the old style and is decorated with 17C paintings. It contains a model of the fortifications as they were in the 17C.