VONDELPARK

Description

Essentials about Vondelpark in brief

Vondelpark is the most famous and, with an area of 47 hectares, the second largest park in Amsterdam. Every year, over 12 million visitors come to the park – so there is always something going on here. Especially on sunny days, Vondelpark turns into an open-air party area where (it feels like) half of Amsterdam is chilling, sunbathing, walking, biking, pushing strollers, playing soccer, drinking coffee and beer, and smoking a joint or two.

The history of Vondelpark

The park begins near the busy squares Leidseplein and Museumplein and stretches as a narrow strip towards the southwest. Vondelpark was founded by a private initiative that bought up eight hectares of land in 1864 and had an English landscape garden laid out. In 1865, the garden was opened to the public under the name “New Park”. In 1867, a statue of the Dutch playwright Joost van den Vondel was erected in the park, who has since also served as the new namesake. By 1877, further donations had enabled the park to be expanded to its current size.

Attractions in Vondelpark

On the edge of Vondelpark stands the beautiful Vondelpark Pavilion, which until 2012 housed the Dutch Film Institute, now residing as the EYE Film Instituut in a spectacular new building on the IJ. In addition, the park features an open-air stage, a playground, a rose garden, extensive ponds, a number of cafés and restaurants, and the famous Blue Tea House. The open-air stage hosts music, dance, cabaret, film and theater performances during the summer months (May to August). There are three stages, access to the events is free (but a donation is expected).