
Keizersgracht forms the middle arc of Amsterdam’s historic canal ring. From here, watch how bridges connect its long waterline to side streets and how church towers punctuate the otherwise low roofscape.
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The water gives you a long horizontal line, while church towers rise as landmarks above the roofs. Keizersgracht is one of the three main canals created as Amsterdam expanded in the seventeenth century.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- Keizersgracht is one of the three principal canals of the canal ring.
- The canal ring was built in phases from 1613 onward.
- The nearby Westerkerk was built between 1620 and 1638.
More places in Amsterdam

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Amsterdam Dungeon
The Amsterdam Dungeon is a theatrical attraction that uses actors and staged scenes to interpret episodes from the city’s past. Its deliberate blend of performance and history makes this a useful place to notice how a story changes when visitors become part of the set.

Amsterdam Museum
The Amsterdam Museum tells the city through objects and many voices, linking historic artifacts with stories from residents today. Its collection spans paintings, clothing, photographs, documents, and everyday things, a reminder that a city’s identity keeps changing.

Amsterdamse Bos
Amsterdamse Bos is a hand-planted urban forest created during the economic crisis of the 1930s. Its broad scale, woods, water, and meadows make it feel unlike the compact parks inside Amsterdam’s ring.