Waterlooplein’s market grew from Jewish neighborhood street trading after two canals were filled in 1882. Its history includes a vibrant prewar community, wartime destruction, and the market’s return after major redevelopment.
Guide
Market sounds fill the square that water once crossed. Waterlooplein took its present form after the Houtgracht and Leprozengracht were filled in 1882. Traders from nearby streets moved their stalls onto the new open space, and the market became a central part of Amsterdam’s Jewish neighborhood.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- The present square formed when the Houtgracht and Leprozengracht were filled in 1882.
- Markets from nearby Jewish neighborhood streets moved here in 1882.
- The market returned to the renewed square in 1988 after metro construction.
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