Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban area ...
. It lies in the
Weteringschans
Amsterdam-Centrum is the inner-most borough and historical city centre of Amsterdam, Netherlands, containing the majority of the city's landmarks. Established in 2002, Amsterdam-Centrum was the last area in the city to be granted the status of se ...
neighborhood (
Centrum borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle Ag ...
), immediately northeast of the
Singelgracht
The Singelgracht () is the waterway that borders the entire Amsterdam Center and flows along the Nassaukade, Stadhouderskade and Mauritskade.
Formerly the canal and the ramparts on the city side formed the outer defenses of the city.
Name
The ...
. It is located on the crossroads of the
Weteringschans
Amsterdam-Centrum is the inner-most borough and historical city centre of Amsterdam, Netherlands, containing the majority of the city's landmarks. Established in 2002, Amsterdam-Centrum was the last area in the city to be granted the status of se ...
,
Marnixstraat
Marnixstraat is a main street in the Dutch city of Amsterdam , on the western border of the Jordaan in the Amsterdam-Centrum. The street is located between Haarlemmerplein and Leidseplein, parallel to Lijnbaansgracht.
History
Marnixstraat is a ...
and
Leidsestraat.
Leiden Square
Leidseplein is one of the busiest centres for nightlife in the city. Historically, the square was the end of the road from
Leiden
Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration w ...
; it served as a
parking lot
A parking lot (American English) or car park (British English), also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surface ...
for horse-drawn traffic. Today, modern traffic travels through the square and side streets are packed with restaurants and nightclubs. The
Stadsschouwburg
The Stadsschouwburg (; Dutch: ''Municipal Theatre'') of Amsterdam is the name of a theatre building at the Leidseplein in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The building is in the neo-Renaissance style dating back to 1894, and is the former home of the N ...
, a national-renowned theatre, is the most notable architectural landmark on the square; the
American Hotel is close by.
2022 hostage crisis
On February 22, 2022, a 27 year old man took at least one person hostage inside of an
Apple Store
The Apple Store is a chain of retail stores owned and operated by Apple Inc. The stores sell various Apple products, including Mac personal computers, iPhone smartphones, iPad tablet computers, Apple Watch smartwatches, Apple TV digital me ...
in Leiden Square. After a forced breach of the store by
Dutch Police
National Police Corps ( nl, Korps Nationale Politie), colloquially in English as Dutch National Police or National Police Force, is divided in ten regional units, a central unit, the police academy, police services center, and national control ...
, all hostages were safely rescued. However, as a result of the breach, the hostage taker was killed. It is 36.5 kilometers from
Alphen aan den Rijn, where in 2011,
a shooting at a shopping mall took place, and approximately 150 meters from where
the murder of well known crime reporter
Peter R. de Vries, a key figure in the
Marengo trial
The Marengo trial or Marengo case () is a trial of leading members of the Mocro Maffia, a Dutch-Moroccan criminal organisation. Seventeen suspects are standing trial for involvement in a number of murders and attempted murders. The name of the ...
occurred.
Panorama
See also
*
List of tourist attractions in Amsterdam
References
{{Parks and squares in Amsterdam
Squares in Amsterdam