From the Begijnhof to the Skinny Bridge: a walk on the old edge
4 stops, about 1.4 km, around 30 minutes with the stories
A self-guided walk along what was the southern edge of medieval Amsterdam, from the hidden courtyard of the Begijnhof past the Munttoren and the Tuschinski cinema to the Magere Brug on the river Amstel.
What this walk shows you
The route follows the line where the old town ended. You start in a courtyard that has kept its medieval ground level, walk to the tower that is all that remains of the southern city gate, and then leave the Middle Ages behind for a cinema of 1921 that is one of the most extravagant buildings in the country.
It ends on the Amstel, the river the city is named after, at a wooden drawbridge that still opens for boats.
Before you set out
The Begijnhof is a private courtyard where people live. It is closed in the evening, and visitors are asked to be quiet. The last stretch, along the river to the bridge, is at its best towards dusk, when the lights on the bridge come on.
The route
- 1 Begijnhof The Begijnhof is an enclosed courtyard of houses in the centre of Amsterdam, founded in the 14th century for the beguines, a community of unmarried Catholic women.
470 m to the next stop
- 2 Munttoren The Munttoren is a tower on the Muntplein that began as part of the Regulierspoort, a medieval gate in Amsterdam’s city wall.
160 m to the next stop
- 3 Tuschinski Theatre The Tuschinski is a cinema on the Reguliersbreestraat, opened in 1921 by Abraham Tuschinski.
790 m to the next stop
- 4 Magere Brug The Magere Brug, or Skinny Bridge, is a white wooden drawbridge across the river Amstel.
Take Lookstory with you. At each stop it tells the story aloud, and points you to the next one.
Open Lookstory