Formerly Amsterdam stood with its back to the River IJ.
The Central Station faced the old city centre, and the IJ formed the border of Amsterdam’s centre; the crossing to the rest of the world.
But the tide has turned! Thanks to developments along the IJ, Amsterdam is once again complete. With the River IJ flowing through the city, instead of alongside it.
Formerly Amsterdam stood with its back to the River IJ.
The Central Station faced the old city centre, and the IJ formed the border of Amsterdam’s centre; the crossing to the rest of the world.
But the tide has turned! Thanks to developments along the IJ, Amsterdam is once again complete. With the River IJ flowing through the city, instead of alongside it.
For years the banks of the IJ were busy with traditional, large-scale industry and shipbuilding. The Shell terrain cut a vital part of the Amsterdam-Noord district off from the river. The south was dominated by warehouses, shipping offices and harbour sheds. It was a busy transshipment area and a transport axis for ships and trains.
The departure of shipbuilding and other industries and the relocation of harbour activities to the Westelijk Havengebied brought great changes. Buildings became vacant, and were transformed by artists seeking space and inspiration. The empty plots were ideal for events like the Festival of Fools, the first such event to be hosted on the northern banks of the IJ in the early 1980s.
The rest of Amsterdam soon discovered the potential of the IJ banks, with expansion around the Central Station including striking buildings like the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ and the new library. Projects are also in progress to create a variety of residential, working and cultural environments on the northern riverbank, with the planned eye-catching museum of cinematography in Overhoeks. Completion time for each project varies – the western side should be progressing by around 2025, while plans for the eastern side are still underway and will probably take slightly longer.
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