The city is named after a 13th-century dam in the

River Amstel and after it was granted city rights in

the 1300s, the city soon developed into a prosperous
trading city. During the Dutch Golden Age,
Amsterdam was one of the largest and most
important cities in the world.

RELIGION IN AMSTERDAM
Currently, Catholicism is the single largest
denomination of the Netherlands, forming
some 23.7% of the Dutch people in 2015, down
from 40% in the 1960s. According to the
church itself, 22.4% of the Dutch population
were formal members in 2016.

CULTURE OF AMSTERDAM
Dutch people are usually very open,
friendly and welcoming. In the
Netherlands, only parents and children live
together. In general, they do not live with
grandparents, aunts, and uncles. During
meals, Dutch families usually share their
adventures of the day.

AMSTERDAM STREET MUSIC

AND STREET PERFORMERS
Walking in the street of the old city, you will often
see the street musicians, small bands or even small
orchestras. Public holidays always fill Amsterdam
with music – the whole bands are moving on boats
along the canals or playing in the city parks and
squares. Vondelpark during the weekend and
Leidseplein in the evenings are the venue for many
of these concerts.

FREE AMSTERDAM PUBLIC

CONCERTS

Amsterdam has often free public concerts in open

air spaces – in the parks and squares. Holidays time
as Queen’s day or Christmas time are an occasion for
these musical events of all kinds. Amsterdam new
Central Public Library (Centrale Bibliotheek) located
near the Central Station, often gives free recitals of
jazz musicians and piano music. Museumplein is a
regular location of free mass concerts for the youth.

JAZZ IN AMSTERDAM
Amsterdam has a rich jazz scene, with many concerts
announced weekly throughout the city. Every summer
Rotterdam based North Sea Jazz Festival brings the best
jazz musicians from all over the world to main Dutch cities
– also to Amsterdam. Throughout the whole year, almost
every evening, in bars and cafés live jazz music performed
in a relaxed atmosphere, will bring you unforgettable
moments.

AMSTERDAM DANCE MUSIC

CLUBS
Amsterdam has many discos and clubs, where live and
recorded music accompany the dancing crowd. Dutch DJ’s
as Tiësto, Armin van Buren or Berlin based Paul van Dijk are
widely known in Europe, with their recordings climbing into
the Billboard charts in the US. The most known clubs in
Amsterdam are Melkweg, Paradiso, Escape, Chemistry,
Dansen bij Jansen (only for students).
https://www.amsterdam.info/music/