These free treasures and curios are well hidden and they range from major works of art to street entertainment.
The Nightwatch
In a glass-roofed lane in central Amsterdam are fifteen enormous paintings of the 17th century Amsterdam Civic Guards. These free outdoor paintings are part of the Amsterdam’s Historisch Museum on the Kalverstraat. The most famous painting is Rembrandt’s evocative ‘Nightwatch’.
Rijksmuseum
There are more famous works of art on display in the Rijksmuseum at Museum Plien. The Rijksmuseum (or National Museum) is worth visiting for its magnificent collection of Dutch masters.
Ruins
Just a short walk from the Rijksmuseum is an attraction of delightful eccentricity: the ‘Ruins’ a curious assortment of building materials from ancient Holland, brought together at the end of the 19th century and placed in a garden. The result is a montage of five centuries of Dutch architecture.
Free Music
Directly across the vast space that is the Museum Plien is the world famous Concertgebouw concert hall. Every Wednesday world-renowned orchestras give free concerts. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra often provides free entry to their rehearsals.
On Tuesdays from October to June a chamber orchestra gives free concerts at the Stadhuis or Town Hall.
The Smallest House
Between the Dam and Nieumarket (New Market) the narrowest house in Europe is on Oude Hoogstraat 22. At only just over two meters wide and six meters long it really is very narrow. And the widest house in Amsterdam is 22 meters wide and built in 1660 for the wealthy metal dealers the Tripp brothers.
Tulips in Amsterdam
Since the early 16th century tulips and Holland are synonymous; flowers are one of Holland’s main exports. So it is not surprising to discover a floating flower market between the Singel and Munt tower on the Koningsplien. The Singel is one of Amsterdam’s oldest canals and when the market is open it is also the most fragrant.
On Roemer Visschaerstraat is a curio that shows the diverse nature of European architecture. Here it is possible to visit seven different European countries in as many minutes. The styles range from a typical English country cottage to a grand Russian cathedral, a French chateau, a Spanish Moorish villa, and a Renaissance style Dutch house.
Barrel Organs
Amsterdam’s most celebrated street entertainments are brightly decorated barrel organs. Although the music is free, the organist would not quibble at a contribution of a couple of Euro.
Carillons
Carillons are bells that play tunes, and a delightful sound they make. Amsterdam has many dating from the 17th century. Only five now regularly play music and only for an hour each week; they are the: Westertoren on Tuesday, Zuidertoren on Thursday, Munttoren, Fridays and Oude Kerkstoren on Saturday. Each performance starts at midday and last for an hour. Dam Square too has its daily performance of carillon music starting at 12 noon.
Medieval Amsterdam
There is nowhere better to relax than the medieval haven of Begijnhof, built as a place for devout women who did not want to commit to a life as nuns, this little village square is a respite for the soul, body and mind. Around a village square are to be found tall cottages, a small medieval church, and Amsterdam’s oldest house built in 1475. The square itself dates from the 14th century.
For free attractions Amsterdam is difficult to beat.
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