Amstel
Encyclopedia
The Amstel is a river in the Netherlands
which runs through the city of Amsterdam
. The river's name is derived from Aeme stelle, old Dutch for "area abounding with water".
The well-known Magere Brug
bridge in Amsterdam crosses the river, as do the Blauwbrug, Hoge Sluis and Berlagebrug bridges. The Stopera
city hall and opera house and Carré theatre are both located on the banks of the river.
A nationally televised concert is held on the river every year on Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day). The rowing races Head of the River Amstel and Heineken Roeivierkamp are held on the river annually. The river also forms part of the route of the Canal Parade, Amsterdam's annual floating gay pride parade.
Amstel beer is named after the river. The Amstel brewery, as a lot of other breweries, was situated close to the Amstel river because clean river water was used to produce the beer.
. After the construction of a canal, the Amstel-Drecht Kanaal, the river (including the canal) now begins where the Drecht and another canal, the Aarkanaal, meet one another, near the town of Nieuwveen
. Tributary rivers are the Kromme Mijdrecht, Bullewijk and Waver.
The river's mouth is in Amsterdam, where it meets the IJ
bay. However, in 1936 the last part of the river (called Rokin
) was filled in, so the river now ends at Muntplein, although it remains connected to the IJ through subterranean pipes.
The river contains only one island (52°17′15"N 4°53′15"E), named Amsteleiland (Amstel Island). The only road leading to it belongs to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
, but the island itself is part of the municipality of Amstelveen
. It has an area of roughly 0.05 km².
called "Amstelredam", built in the 13th century alongside a dam at the mouth of the river. The town was granted city rights
around 1300. The hamlet developed into the small town "Amsteldam", which later became "Amsterdam".
The area through which the river passes is known as the Amstelland
. The city and municipality of Amstelveen
, the municipality of Ouder-Amstel
, the towns of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
and Nes aan de Amstel
are all named after the river as well. Amsterdam has a street called Amstel (along the river), a square called Amstelveld and a train station called Amsterdam Amstel
.
In the former Dutch colonies in North America, a town was captured from the Swedes in 1655 and renamed Nieuw-Amstel. It is now known as New Castle, Delaware
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
which runs through the city of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. The river's name is derived from Aeme stelle, old Dutch for "area abounding with water".
The well-known Magere Brug
Magere Brug
The Magere Brug is a bridge over the river Amstel in the city centre of Amsterdam. It connects the banks of the river at Kerkstraat , between Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht ....
bridge in Amsterdam crosses the river, as do the Blauwbrug, Hoge Sluis and Berlagebrug bridges. The Stopera
Stopera
The Stopera is a building complex in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, housing both the city hall of Amsterdam and the Muziektheater, the principal opera house in Amsterdam and the home of De Nederlandse Opera, Het Nationale Ballet, and the Holland Symfonia....
city hall and opera house and Carré theatre are both located on the banks of the river.
A nationally televised concert is held on the river every year on Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day). The rowing races Head of the River Amstel and Heineken Roeivierkamp are held on the river annually. The river also forms part of the route of the Canal Parade, Amsterdam's annual floating gay pride parade.
Amstel beer is named after the river. The Amstel brewery, as a lot of other breweries, was situated close to the Amstel river because clean river water was used to produce the beer.
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Geography
The river originally began where two smaller rivers, the Drecht and Kromme Mijdrecht, joined together, a little south of UithoornUithoorn
Uithoorn is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.-Population centres :The municipality of Uithoorn consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: De Kwakel and Uithoorn.- History :...
. After the construction of a canal, the Amstel-Drecht Kanaal, the river (including the canal) now begins where the Drecht and another canal, the Aarkanaal, meet one another, near the town of Nieuwveen
Nieuwveen
Nieuwveen is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Nieuwkoop , and lies about 9 km northeast of Alphen aan den Rijn.In 2001, the town of Nieuwveen had 2806 inhabitants...
. Tributary rivers are the Kromme Mijdrecht, Bullewijk and Waver.
The river's mouth is in Amsterdam, where it meets the IJ
IJ (bay)
The IJ is a river, formerly a bay, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is known for being Amsterdam's waterfront. The name derives from the generic Germanic term for "water" and is similar to other Aa/Ee names for bodies of water. In Dutch, the name consists of the digraph ij, which is...
bay. However, in 1936 the last part of the river (called Rokin
Rokin
Rokin is a major street in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Originally it was part of the river Amstel, and was known then as Rak-in . When the quays along the Rokin were constructed in 1913, they were named after the water which they adjoined.The Rokin begins at Muntplein square and ends at Dam square...
) was filled in, so the river now ends at Muntplein, although it remains connected to the IJ through subterranean pipes.
The river contains only one island (52°17′15"N 4°53′15"E), named Amsteleiland (Amstel Island). The only road leading to it belongs to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel is a town in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is largely a part of the municipality of Ouder-Amstel, and lies about 9 km south of Amsterdam. A small part of the town lies in the municipality of Amstelveen....
, but the island itself is part of the municipality of Amstelveen
Amstelveen
' is a suburban municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the following villages and/or districts: Amstelveen, Bovenkerk, Westwijk, Bankras-Kostverloren, Groenelaan, Waardhuizen,...
. It has an area of roughly 0.05 km².
Places named after the river Amstel
Amsterdam took its name from the river. The city developed out of a small fishing villageTraditional fishing village
A fishing village is a village, usually located near a fishing ground, with an economy based on catching fish and harvesting seafood. The continents and islands around the world have coastlines totalling around 356,000 kilometres...
called "Amstelredam", built in the 13th century alongside a dam at the mouth of the river. The town was granted city rights
City rights in the Netherlands
City rights are a medieval phenomenon in the history of the Low Countries. A liegelord, usually a count, duke or similar member of high nobility, granted a settlement he owned certain town privileges that settlements without city rights did not have....
around 1300. The hamlet developed into the small town "Amsteldam", which later became "Amsterdam".
The area through which the river passes is known as the Amstelland
Amstelland
Amstelland is the area along the river Amstel, a river running north towards Amsterdam in southern North Holland.- Location and composition :"Amstelland" today refers generally to the area along the river Amstel just south of the city of Amsterdam...
. The city and municipality of Amstelveen
Amstelveen
' is a suburban municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the following villages and/or districts: Amstelveen, Bovenkerk, Westwijk, Bankras-Kostverloren, Groenelaan, Waardhuizen,...
, the municipality of Ouder-Amstel
Ouder-Amstel
Ouder-Amstel is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.-Population centres :The municipality of Ouder-Amstel consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: Duivendrecht, Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, Waver....
, the towns of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel is a town in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is largely a part of the municipality of Ouder-Amstel, and lies about 9 km south of Amsterdam. A small part of the town lies in the municipality of Amstelveen....
and Nes aan de Amstel
Nes aan de Amstel
Nes aan de Amstel, is a small village which is part of the municipality of Amstelveen in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. The village, which as the name indicates is located on the River Amstel, and is situated on the edge of the Rond Hoep polder. It was established in the 16th century...
are all named after the river as well. Amsterdam has a street called Amstel (along the river), a square called Amstelveld and a train station called Amsterdam Amstel
Amsterdam Amstel railway station
Amsterdam Amstel is a railway station in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The station was opened on 15 October 1939. It is located south west of the station Amsterdam Centraal...
.
In the former Dutch colonies in North America, a town was captured from the Swedes in 1655 and renamed Nieuw-Amstel. It is now known as New Castle, Delaware
New Castle, Delaware
New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, situated on the Delaware River. In 1900, 3,380 people lived here; in 1910, 3,351...
.
The Amstel in art
- Aert van der Neer (1603—1677)
- Rembrandt (1609—1669)
- Willem WitsenWillem WitsenWillem Witsen was a Dutch painter and photographer.Witsen was born in a wealthy ruling-class family, dating back to the governing families of the 17th century, of whom Cornelis Jan Witsen and his son Nicolaes Witsen were members. He studied at academies in Amsterdam and Antwerp...
(1860—1923) - George Hendrik BreitnerGeorge Hendrik BreitnerGeorge Hendrik Breitner wasa Dutch painter and photographer.-Biography:George Hendrik Breitner was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands. From 1876–1880 he attended the Academy in the Hague where his extraordinary talent was rewarded on various occasions...
(1857—1923) - Piet MondrianPiet MondrianPieter Cornelis "Piet" Mondriaan, after 1906 Mondrian , was a Dutch painter.He was an important contributor to the De Stijl art movement and group, which was founded by Theo van Doesburg. He evolved a non-representational form which he termed Neo-Plasticism...
(1872—1944) - Hendrik Jan Wolter (1873—1952)
- Frans KoppelaarFrans KoppelaarFrans Thomas Koppelaar , is a Dutch painter, who was born in The Hague, Netherlands.From 1963 - 1969 he attended the Royal Academy of Visual Arts at The Hague...
(1943— )
Use in films
- Diamonds Are ForeverDiamonds Are ForeverDiamonds Are Forever may refer to:In literature;* Diamonds Are Forever , the fourth novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series* Diamonds Are Forever, a 2004 short novel by Ryk E...
(James BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film), 1971: The body of school teacher Mrs Whistler is found in the river after she dies at the hands of murderous duo of Mr Wint and Mr Kidd, who then photograph her body in the water with the intention of sending the images to the children she taught.
Photo gallery