Medieval Centre & Red Light District

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Shop Book
The Royal Palace in Amsterdam is situated in the west side of Dam Square in the centre of Amsterdam, Holland. Beautiful blue sky with cloudscape over the palace. The Netherlands.

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Overview

Amsterdam's oldest quarter is remarkably preserved, looking much as it did in its Golden Age heyday. It's the busiest part of town for visitors. While some come to see the Royal Palace and Oude Kerk, others make a beeline for the coffeeshops and Red Light District.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Netherlands, Noord Holland, Amsterdam, the Begijnhof Courtyard. (Photo by: Eye Ubiquitous/UIG via Getty Images)

    Begijnhof

    Medieval Centre & Red Light District

    Dating from the early 14th century, this enclosed former convent is a peaceful haven, with tiny houses and postage-stamp gardens around a well-kept…

  • 500px Photo ID: 18211755 - Tip: Press "L" on the keyboard to Like and "F' to Add to Favourites :)....Go ahead give me some love :)

    Royal Palace

    Medieval Centre & Red Light District

    Opened as a town hall in 1655, this resplendent building became a palace in the 19th century. The interiors gleam, especially the marble work – at its…

  • Amsterdam Museum

    Amsterdam Museum

    Medieval Centre & Red Light District

    Entrepreneurship, free thinking, citizenship and creativity are the four cornerstones of the multimedia DNA exhibit at this riveting museum, which splits…

  • Nieuwe Kerk

    Nieuwe Kerk

    Medieval Centre & Red Light District

    This 15th-century late-Gothic basilica is only ‘new’ in relation to the Oude Kerk – the city's Old Church, dating from 1306. A few monumental items…

  • Oude Kerk

    Oude Kerk

    Medieval Centre & Red Light District

    Dating from 1306, the Oude Kerk is Amsterdam's oldest surviving building. It's also an intriguing moral contradiction: a church surrounded by active Red…

  • Museum Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder

    Museum Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder

    Medieval Centre & Red Light District

    Within what looks like an ordinary canal house is an entire Catholic church. Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder (Our Dear Lord in the Attic) was built in the mid…

  • Get an alternative take on history at the Torture Museum, Amsterdam

    Torture Museum

    Medieval Centre & Red Light District

    It's dilapidated and so dimly lit inside that you can barely read the placards, but fans of kitsch and oddball lore will enjoy learning about devices such…

  • Below the Surface

    Below the Surface

    Medieval Centre & Red Light District

    During the construction of Amsterdam's 2018-opened Noord/Zuidlijn (North–South metro line), more than 134,000 archaeological finds were unearthed from…

View more attractions

Build a memorable collection

Get to the heart of Medieval Centre & Red Light District with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.