Named for the former gate on the road to Leiden, Leidseplein grew from a wagon and carriage forecourt into a transport and entertainment hub. Its theatre, tram stop, hidden canal and redesigned Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen show how the square keeps adapting.
Quick facts
The Leidsepoort, built in 1664 by city master builder Daniël Stalpaert, stood near today’s Hirsch building and American Hotel; the gate was later demolished, but its name remains in Leidseplein.
A wooden city theatre opened on Leidseplein in 1774; after it burned in 1890, the present stone Stadsschouwburg opened in 1894.
The Lijnbaansgracht still runs underground beneath Leidseplein and continues in a culvert below the Stadsschouwburg toward the Melkweg.
Get directions to Leidseplein. Confirm the visitor entrance and current access with the venue before travelling.
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Guide
Leidseplein is a public square in Amsterdam, in the municipality’s Centrum district. Its name means “Leiden Square”: the Leidsepoort, the city gate at the beginning of the road toward Leiden, once stood at its southern edge. The assigned map pin falls on the tram platform named Leidseplein, within the square; it marks a transport node, not a monument or the whole public space. Look around and the place’s recurring role becomes clear: people arrive, pause, transfer, meet, and move on.
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