Eco-urban Westerpark – with grassy expanses of lawns (packed in summer with picnickers, sun worshippers and families), tree-shaded walkways and cycleways, ponds, fountains and abundant bird life – adjoins the post-industrial Westergasfabriek cultural centre.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Westergasfabriek

0.23 MILES

Adjacent to the Westerpark, this late-19th-century Dutch Renaissance complex was the city's western gasworks until gas production ceased in 1967. The…

2. Haarlemmerpoort

0.23 MILES

Once a defensive gateway to the city, the Haarlemmerpoort marked the start of the journey to Haarlem, which was a major trading route. The neoclassical…

3. Museum Het Schip

0.29 MILES

Just north of Westerpark over the train tracks, this remarkable 1921-completed housing project is a flagship of the Amsterdam School of architecture…

4. Drieharingenbrug

0.39 MILES

This narrow bridge links the Western Islands of Prinseneiland and Realeneiland. It's a quaint replacement for the pontoon that used to be pulled aside to…

5. Brouwersgracht

0.44 MILES

Pretty as a Golden Age painting, the Brewers Canal took its name from the many breweries located here in the 16th and 17th centuries. Goods such as…

6. Zandhoek

0.51 MILES

On Realeneiland's eastern shore, the Zandhoek is a photogenic stretch of waterfront. It's now a modern yacht harbour, but back in the 17th century it was…

7. Noorderkerk

0.58 MILES

Near the Prinsengracht's northern end, this imposing Calvinist church was completed in 1623 for the 'common' people in the Jordaan. (The upper classes…

8. Pianola Museum

0.59 MILES

This is a very special place, crammed with pianolas from the early 1900s. The museum has around 50, although only a dozen are on display at any given time…