Jewish Cultural District Amsterdam

The Jewish Cultural District in Amsterdam was described as a complete disaster after WWII, then transformed in the 1960s and 1970s by architects including Aldo van Eyck. Big protests did not stop the redevelopment, and the district is once again full of life.

What changed in the Jewish Cultural District after WWII?

After the end of WWII, the area was a complete disaster. During the 1960s and 1970s, it was completely transformed, changing the district's physical character and replacing the postwar setting with a different built environment.

What is distinctive about the district's architecture?

The redevelopment involved famous and respected architects like Aldo van Eyck. The houses reflect the design sensibilities of the 1960s and 1970s: the tour material acknowledges that the architecture divided opinion, but describes these houses as beautiful and livable compared with much of what was being built elsewhere at the time.

That comparison is the specific architectural detail to carry with you: the district's houses belong to a disputed period, yet the source presents them as unusually successful against the wider construction of their era.

Why were there protests about the Jewish Cultural District?

There were big protests against the transformation, but they did not manage to save this part of town. The tour material says those protests did help save all the rest of Amsterdam's historic city centre, leaving the beautiful historic centre that visitors enjoy today.

What is the Jewish Cultural District like today?

The district is once again full of life. To explore the place through a route, take the Amsterdam Walking Tour, which visits it at stop 10 of 20, or follow the Amsterdam Bicycle Tour, where it appears at stop 8 of 26.