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| Page Views: 1,428 Last Visit to Amsterdam: August, 2006 | Amsterdam - The Eastern Docklands by 36waterfalls - last update: Aug 27, 2006 |
A Walk Through Art And Architecture (If you just like to see pictures: go straight to the Travelogues!)
Amsterdam's Eastern Docklands ('Oostelijk Havengebied') is a modernized part of an old city. It consists of 140 hectares of land and 160 hectares of water. Originally the islands were built between 1876 and 1927, when the Central Station was built and the big ships couldn't enter the river IJ-port (the oldest port of Amsterdam) anymore. Narrow but stretched islands were invented to get long embankments for ships to moor. The area soon became the heart of Amsterdam's port with warehouses storing goods from all parts of the world. Sadly ships became bigger and bigger and in the 1950's the Eastern Docks became too small for the containerships. The port moved West and the Eastern Docks fell into decay. Around 1990 the City of Amsterdam decided to turn this area into a modern housing archipelago keeping 2 goals in mind: extreme hight housing capacity and extreme high quality of architecture. The 3 island together (Java, KNSM and Sporenburg-Borneo) now hold over 8000 houses designed by many young architects. It's internationally renowned as a unique project. Apart from all that living-space it also houses shops, parcs, restaurants, bars and art. Or is the area ART itself?! |
|  | To enter this special Amsterdam area you can either take a ferry or walk. Either way you will arrive at starting point of Java Island. The Java-Ferry (Java Veer) leaves every 20 minutes from Pier 8 behind the Central Station and a single journey costs 1euro. The journey takes 10 minutes.
The walk to Java doesn't take much longer (about 15 minuts ex. picture-stops ;-) !) and to do that just turn right at the back of Central Station and keep following the water on your left (pass Music Hall and Cruise Terminal). When you see the Warehouse De Zwijger you turn left (the road goes through the warehouse) and you'll be on the Schaefer Bridge. This is your entry to Java. |
| the first bridge to cross from central station |
| | Java, KNSM and Sporenburg-Borneo are all connected to each other by bridges. So start at Java and follow your way down. You can't go wrong really. If you get tired or don't want to walk the whole route: there are buses going from each island back to Central Station.
I used the route from a brochure by IAmsterdam (see www.atcb.nl go to webshop/tourism products/"Exciting Architecture in the Archipelago"). It's also available from the Amsterdam Tourist Office VVV. My tips are in order of this route. I took so many pictures that I had to shift some to Travelogues. Hope you enjoy those as well. The entire walk took me about 4-5 hours, including lunch, pub and picture-breaks.
Of course this whole trip can be done by bike as well!
Good websites for more info on the Eastern Docklands:
- www.amsterdamdocklands.com (map per island on 'location map' in the 'going out' menu)
- www.easterndocklands.com for more history and pictures
Parking:
At Cruise Terminal - 450 spaces
At De Loodsen - 70 spaces (on the right of Pakhuis De Zwijger)
At Nieuw Amerika - 80 spaces (300meters to the right of De Zwijger) |
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| Pros: | "Wonderful architecture, peaceful setting, water always near, no crowds (yet!)" | | In A Nutshell: | "A Part Of Amsterdam Not To Be Missed!" |
36waterfalls' Amsterdam Travel Tips
 36waterfalls' Amsterdam Travelogues | | | |
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 Comments for 36waterfalls about Amsterdam | | | | |
Sage49 Sat Feb 16, 2008 14:05 UTC
Lida, love your page, beautifully done. visited Amsterdam few months ago, and loved every moment of it. hope to see other parts of the Land. | Gillybob Mon Oct 29, 2007 15:37 UTC
I had a wonderful day walking from one diamond museum to the next in Amsterdam - ended the day with some beautiful earrings and matching necklace!! Gillybob greetings | TheTravelSlut Wed Jul 11, 2007 19:22 UTC
Great tips and great photos!!!! Thanks and I'll be referring to your info. Ann, The Travel Slut | breughel Thu Jun 28, 2007 19:27 UTC
Hello Linda, thanks for liking my Lisbon page. I know you are a connoisseur of maritime matters. I remember your Greenwich page. I will (re)visit Amsterdam soon, but the Maritime museum is closed! |
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