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The Amstel () is a river in the province of
North Holland North Holland ( nl, Noord-Holland, ) is a province of the Netherlands in the northwestern part of the country. It is located on the North Sea, north of South Holland and Utrecht, and west of Friesland and Flevoland. In November 2019, it had a ...
in the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. It flows from the Aarkanaal and Drecht in
Nieuwveen Nieuwveen is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland, located close to the border of province North Holland, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) southwest of the city of Amsterdam. It is a part of the municipality of Nieuwkoop (until 2007: Lieme ...
northwards, passing
Uithoorn Uithoorn () is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Population centres The municipality of Uithoorn consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: De Kwakel and Uithoorn. ''Dutch ...
,
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands with a population of 92.353 as of 2022. It is a suburban part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area. The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the historical villages o ...
, and
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel Ouderkerk aan de Amstel () is a town in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is largely a part of the municipality of Ouder-Amstel; it lies about 9 km south of Amsterdam. A small part of the town lies in the municipality of Amstelvee ...
, to the IJ in
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
. Annually, the river is the location of the
Liberation Day Liberation Day is a day, often a public holiday, that marks the liberation of a place, similar to an independence day. Liberation marks the date of either a revolution, as in Cuba, the fall of a dictatorship, as in Portugal, or the end of an oc ...
concert,
Head of the River Amstel The Head of the River Amstel is a rowing race held annually on the river Amstel in Amsterdam, Netherlands on the 8 km track from Amsterdam to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. The Willem III Rowing Club organises the race in association with the Amste ...
rowing match, and the
Amsterdam Gay Pride Amsterdam Pride, Amsterdam Gay Pride or Pride Amsterdam is a citywide queer-festival held annually at the center of Amsterdam during the first weekend of August. The festival attracts several hundred-thousand visitors each year and is one of ...
boat parade.


Etymology

The name ''
Amstel The Amstel () is a river in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. It flows from the Aarkanaal and Drecht in Nieuwveen northwards, passing Uithoorn, Amstelveen, and Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, to the IJ in Amsterdam. Annually, the riv ...
'' and the older form ''Aemstel'' are derived from ''Amestelle'', which is a compound of the words '' aam'' or ''ame'' meaning water and '' stelle'' meaning solid, high, and dry ground.G. van Berkel & K. Samplonius,
Amsterdam (Amsterdam, NH)
(in Dutch), ''Nederlandse plaatsnamen verklaard'', 2018. Retrieved on 10 October 2020.
Nederlandsche plaatsnamen
(in Dutch), ''
Onze Taal ''Genootschap Onze Taal'' ('Society Our Language') is a Dutch society dedicated to the Dutch language. It was founded in 1931, initially to guard the language against what was then seen as creeping invasion of Germanisms into the language. The so ...
'', 1942. Retrieved on 29 October 2020.
In the 12th century, ''Amestelle'' was used for the area or '' gouw'' that was closed in by the rivers Amstel and
Bullewijk Bullewijk is a neighborhood and business park in the quarter of Amsterdam-Zuidoost (Amsterdam-Southeast), Netherlands. The neighborhood received its name in 1978 and was named after the nearby river of the same name. it was created due to a partia ...
and the bay IJ. Between the 12th and 14th century, the area was developed and ruled by the
Van Amstel family The van Amstel family ( nl, Heren van Amstel) was an influential dynasty in the medieval Netherlands from the twelfth until the fourteenth century. The family developed the Amstelland and held the stewardship in the ecclesiastical districts in t ...
. The river Amstel was named after this land area. Between 1525 and 1990, the
water board A water board is a regional or national organisation that has very different functions from one country to another. The functions range from flood control and water resources management at the regional or local level (the Netherlands, Germany), w ...
or ''hoogheemraadschap'' of the area through which the river flows was
Amstelland Amstelland is the area along the river Amstel in the Netherlands, beginning in South Holland and running north towards Amsterdam in southern North Holland. History Amstelland's history is inextricably linked with the Amstel river and the grow ...
(Amstel Land), a name still in use for the region. The names of the settlements
Amstelhoek Amstelhoek is a village in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is in the municipality of De Ronde Venen, about northwest of Mijdrecht. Amstelhoek lies on the river Amstel, directly across from Uithoorn. It was first mentioned in 1936 as Amstelhoek, ...
(Amstel Bend),
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
(Amstel Dam),
Nes aan de Amstel Nes aan de Amstel () is a village in the municipality of Amstelveen in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. The village's name indicates that it is located on the Amstel; it is situated on the edge of the Rond Hoep polder. History The vi ...
(Headland upon Amstel), and
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel Ouderkerk aan de Amstel () is a town in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is largely a part of the municipality of Ouder-Amstel; it lies about 9 km south of Amsterdam. A small part of the town lies in the municipality of Amstelvee ...
(Old Church upon Amstel) on the banks of the Amstel were derived from the river's name.


History

The Amstel was formed around 1050 BC when a freshwater river cut into a tidal channel of the IJ which are now
Damrak The Damrak is an avenue and partially filled in canal at the centre of Amsterdam, running between Amsterdam Centraal in the north and Dam Square in the south. It is the main street where people arriving at the station enter the centre of Amsterdam ...
and
Rokin The Rokin is a canal and major street in the centre of Amsterdam. The street runs from Muntplein, Amsterdam, Muntplein square to Dam Square, Dam square. The Rokin canal used to run from Muntplein square to Dam Square, but in 1936, the part between ...
.Jerzy Gawronski & Peter Kranendonk,
The River Amstel
, ''
Municipality of Amsterdam The Government of Amsterdam consists of several territorial and functional forms of local and regional government. The principal form of government is the municipality of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The municipality's territory covers the city of Amster ...
''. Retrieved on 1 November 2020.


Course


Source

The Amstel begins where the canal Aarkanaal and the river Drecht meet, just north of the village
Nieuwveen Nieuwveen is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland, located close to the border of province North Holland, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) southwest of the city of Amsterdam. It is a part of the municipality of Nieuwkoop (until 2007: Lieme ...
in the province of
South Holland South Holland ( nl, Zuid-Holland ) is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.7 million as of October 2021 and a population density of about , making it the country's most populous province and one of the world's most densely ...
. Here the river forms the border between the provinces of South Holland and
North Holland North Holland ( nl, Noord-Holland, ) is a province of the Netherlands in the northwestern part of the country. It is located on the North Sea, north of South Holland and Utrecht, and west of Friesland and Flevoland. In November 2019, it had a ...
and flows in northeastern direction.


Amstelland

The Amstel passes the hamlet
Vrouwenakker Vrouwenakker is a village in the Netherlands, about 12 km southeast of Hoofddorp. It lies largely in the municipality of Nieuwkoop (formerly Liemeer), in the province of South Holland, but a small part lies in the municipality of Uithoorn, in ...
and is then joined by the tributary river Kromme Mijdrecht. On the northern bank is the town
Uithoorn Uithoorn () is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Population centres The municipality of Uithoorn consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: De Kwakel and Uithoorn. ''Dutch ...
and on the southern bank is the village
Amstelhoek Amstelhoek is a village in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is in the municipality of De Ronde Venen, about northwest of Mijdrecht. Amstelhoek lies on the river Amstel, directly across from Uithoorn. It was first mentioned in 1936 as Amstelhoek, ...
. Here the river forms the border between the provinces of
Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...
and North Holland. Further on, the river is joined by the tributary river
Oude Waver Awadh (), known in British historical texts as Avadh or Oudh, is a region in the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before Independence Day (India), independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. It is synonymous wit ...
. From here onwards, the river flows northward through the province of North Holland. The Amstel passes the village
Nes aan de Amstel Nes aan de Amstel () is a village in the municipality of Amstelveen in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. The village's name indicates that it is located on the Amstel; it is situated on the edge of the Rond Hoep polder. History The vi ...
. On the western bank is the town
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands with a population of 92.353 as of 2022. It is a suburban part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area. The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the historical villages o ...
, where there is a small island in the river named Amsteleiland, and on the eastern bank the town of
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel Ouderkerk aan de Amstel () is a town in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is largely a part of the municipality of Ouder-Amstel; it lies about 9 km south of Amsterdam. A small part of the town lies in the municipality of Amstelvee ...
, where the river is joined by the tributary river
Bullewijk Bullewijk is a neighborhood and business park in the quarter of Amsterdam-Zuidoost (Amsterdam-Southeast), Netherlands. The neighborhood received its name in 1978 and was named after the nearby river of the same name. it was created due to a partia ...
. After this the Amstel flows into the city of
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
.


Amsterdam

In Amsterdam, the canals Duivendrechtsevaart and Weespertrekvaart are tributaries to the Amstel. There are several historical bridges crossing the river, among which are the
Berlagebrug The Berlagebrug (; en, Berlage Bridge) is a bascule bridge over the river Amstel in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The bridge was commissioned by the municipalityMagere Brug The Magere Brug (English: Skinny Bridge) is a bridge over the river Amstel in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It connects the banks of the river at Kerkstraat, between the Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. The central section of the Magere Brug is a basc ...
, and
Blauwbrug The Blauwbrug (English: Blue bridge) is a historic bridge in Amsterdam, Netherlands over the river Amstel. It connects the Rembrandtplein area with the Waterlooplein area, and lies south to the Stopera. The bridge owes its name to a wooden "blu ...
. In the city center, the river is connected to several city canals, which are a UNESCO
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
. The
Amstel Hotel The InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam Hotel, commonly referred to as the Amstel Hotel, is a hotel in Amsterdam, capital city of the Netherlands, on the east bank of the river Amstel. In 2007, it was the only hotel in the Netherlands on the list ...
,
Royal Theater Carré The Royal Theater Carré (Dutch: ) is a Neo-Renaissance theatre in Amsterdam, located near the river Amstel. When the theatre was founded in 1887, it was originally meant as a permanent circus building. Currently, it is mainly used for musicals, ...
,
Hermitage Amsterdam Hermitage Amsterdam is a branch museum of the Hermitage Museum of Saint Petersburg, Russia, located on the banks of the Amstel river in Amsterdam. The museum is located in the former Amstelhof, a classical style building from 1681. The dependency ...
, city hall in the
Stopera The Stopera is a building complex in Amsterdam, Netherlands, housing both the city hall of Amsterdam and the Dutch National Opera and Ballet, the principal opera house in Amsterdam that is home of Dutch National Opera, Dutch National Ballet and ...
, and
Allard Pierson Museum The Allard Pierson Museum is the archaeological museum of the University of Amsterdam. It is situated at the Oude Turfmarkt 127 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Artifacts from the ancient civilizations of ancient Egypt, the Near East, the Greek ...
are located on the eastern bank of the river. The river is interrupted at
Rokin The Rokin is a canal and major street in the centre of Amsterdam. The street runs from Muntplein, Amsterdam, Muntplein square to Dam Square, Dam square. The Rokin canal used to run from Muntplein square to Dam Square, but in 1936, the part between ...
that is partly filled up,
Dam Square Dam Square or the Dam () is a town square in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Its notable buildings and frequent events make it one of the best-known and most important locations in the city and the country. Location and description ...
, and
Damrak The Damrak is an avenue and partially filled in canal at the centre of Amsterdam, running between Amsterdam Centraal in the north and Dam Square in the south. It is the main street where people arriving at the station enter the centre of Amsterdam ...
that is partly filled up.


Mouth

The original course continues with Damrak, after which it passes Stationseiland, an artificial island with
Amsterdam Centraal station Amsterdam Centraal Station ( nl, italic=no, Station Amsterdam Centraal ; Railway stations in the Netherlands, abbreviation: Asd) is the largest railway station in Amsterdam, North Holland, the Netherlands. A major international Rail transport, r ...
, and flows into the former bay IJ.


Cultural events

A nationally televised concert is held on the river every year on
Liberation Day Liberation Day is a day, often a public holiday, that marks the liberation of a place, similar to an independence day. Liberation marks the date of either a revolution, as in Cuba, the fall of a dictatorship, as in Portugal, or the end of an oc ...
. The
rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically atta ...
races
Head of the River Amstel The Head of the River Amstel is a rowing race held annually on the river Amstel in Amsterdam, Netherlands on the 8 km track from Amsterdam to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. The Willem III Rowing Club organises the race in association with the Amste ...
and Heineken Roeivierkamp are held on the river annually. The river also forms part of the route of the Canal Parade, Amsterdam's annual floating gay
pride parade A pride parade (also known as pride march, pride event, or pride festival) is an outdoor event celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer culture, queer (LGBTQ) social and self-acceptance, achievements, LGBT rights by country o ...
.


Artist impressions

The river has been depicted by many artists, including: *
Aert van der Neer Aert van der Neer, or Aernout or Artus (c. 16039 November 1677), was a landscape painter of the Dutch Golden Age, specializing in small night scenes lit only by moonlight and fires, and snowy winter landscapes, both often looking down a canal ...
(1603–1677) *
Rembrandt Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (, ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), usually simply known as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker and draughtsman. An innovative and prolific master in three media, he is generally consid ...
(1609–1669) *
Willem Witsen Willem Witsen (13 August 1860, Amsterdam - 13 April 1923, Amsterdam) was a Dutch painter and photographer associated with the Amsterdam Impressionism movement. Witsen's work, influenced by James McNeill Whistler, often portrayed calm urban lands ...
(1860–1923) *
George Hendrik Breitner George Hendrik Breitner (12 September 1857 – 5 June 1923) was a Dutch painter and photographer. An important figure in Amsterdam Impressionism, he is noted especially for his paintings of street scenes and harbours in a realistic style. He pa ...
(1857–1923) *
Piet Mondrian Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan (), after 1906 known as Piet Mondrian (, also , ; 7 March 1872 – 1 February 1944), was a Dutch painter and art theoretician who is regarded as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. He is known for being ...
(1872–1944)


References


External links

* {{Canals of Amsterdam Geography of Amsterdam Rivers of North Holland Rivers of South Holland Rivers of Utrecht (province) Rivers of the Netherlands