Bridges and canals in Amsterdam that adds mystery.
Did you know that Amsterdam has more than 1,200 bridges crossing the canals of the city? Whenever you see postcards of Amsterdam, you always see bridges and canals. During several visits to Amsterdam I also found myself trying to capture their beauty and mystery. It is not always possible.
At night they dazzle with beautiful illumination. They are indeed picturesque, no matter what time of the day it is.
Bicycles are often seen standing or locked against the railings of a bridge.
A unique blend of architecture.
If you quickly look at them, they all look the same but in fact they don’t. They are all unique, architecturally different and each one has a story to tell. There are historic, romantic and cleverly engineered bridges. One of the oldest in Amsterdam dates back to 1648.
The oldest bridge in Amsterdam.
Torensluis Brug is the oldest and widest in Amsterdam and still in its original state. It measures 39m across and if you look closely you will see barred windows from a former prison underneath the bridge.
The top 5 and most beautiful bridges in Amsterdam.
It is actually not possible to pick the 5 most beautiful. They are all beautiful! According to opinions on the Internet, I have found 5 that are very popular in Amsterdam:
- The Torensluis Brug;
- Magere Brug or as it is commonly known in English, the Skinny Bridge;
- Blauwbrug;
- Lekkeresluis Brug;
- Drieharingenbrug.
Why canals and bridges?
Canals and rivers are important waterways, especially for commercial transport and leisure boating. In the center of the city these bridges are fixed and only smaller boats can pass. Larger vessels, especially tall ones, need larger waterways. They structures that can open and let a ship pass.
