True ‘Amsterdammers’ on their Amsterdam
What do the people of Amsterdam think of their own city? How has the neighborhood they grew up in changed? And what do other people not know about their neighborhood?
Christian Cordoba Lenis, 27 – Master of Information Law
Amsterdam Nieuw-West – Slotermeer
“You live here in history”
“What makes Slotermeer truly Amsterdam? Multiculturalism. You’ll find people from all sorts of backgrounds here. That diversity brings a lively, energetic atmosphere. At the same time, that liveliness can sometimes feel a little chaotic. There’s always something happening here.”
“Still, I’ve seen the neighbourhood change over the years. Very little remains of the once bustling market at Plein 40–45, and gentrification is clearly noticeable. More and more new middle-class residents are moving into the area and finding their place here. Because of that shifting dynamic, the neighbourhood may feel a little less vibrant, but it does feel safer. The dilapidated buildings and empty premises of the past have largely disappeared.”
“What many people don’t know is that Slotermeer carries a special historical weight. Streets and squares are named after resistance fighters from the Second World War. That sentiment has always stayed with me: you live here, in a way, inside history.”
“My memories of the neighbourhood are bittersweet. I had a good childhood, but there is also poverty, and from time to time incidents happen: a burning car, a shooting. Those images often stick with outsiders, as if this were the ‘Wild West’, but it’s really not that bad.”
Lisa Overbosch, 24 – Master of Information Law
Amsterdam-Oost – Watergraafsmeer
“You miss that raw edge here a little”
“What makes Watergraafsmeer Amsterdam? Honestly, not that much. It’s more like a village. You can find everything you need there, but it still feels like a small bubble in the middle of the city. In the past, Watergraafsmeer was seen as the edge of Amsterdam, but now it’s a sought-after neighbourhood. Take the Middenweg: trendy cafés, boutiques, a pilates studio. The atmosphere has softened considerably. These days, many expats and young families live there.”
“For me, it was an ideal place to grow up: safe, easy to navigate. What has always stayed with me is the annual Bredeweg Festival. The whole neighbourhood would sit down at long tables, children would play in the streets, and neighbours would strike up conversations. That, to me, characterises Watergraafsmeer.”
“Nowadays I go there less often. My parents still live there, but I prefer to meet friends in the city centre. There’s more buzz there. You do miss that raw edge here a little. But that’s exactly why people like living there: the peace, the space, the park around the corner. And at the same time, you’re only a short trip away from the Dappermarkt or the city centre, which people really value.”
Anna Glim, 24 - Psychology
Amsterdam-Zuid, Rivierenbuurt
“I can’t imagine having grown up anywhere else”
“What makes the Rivierenbuurt Amsterdam? Above all, its Jewish character. In the 1930s, many Jewish people from Germany moved here. You can still sense that in the streetscape.”
“For instance, Anne Frank lived here for a while. She bought her diaries at Jimmink bookshop, where I later bought my own notebooks. And every year, at the Merwedeplein by her statue, we went to the Remembrance of the Dead. That always made me feel a little connected to her.”
“I still enjoy coming to the Rivierenbuurt. It’s quiet and cosy, a place where you can escape the hustle of the city. When I go to work in Buitenveldert, I deliberately take the bus past Europaplein. I look out the window and always feel a moment of nostalgia. Sadly, the houses have now become unaffordable. In the past, the neighbourhood was more accessible and mixed.”
“And yes, the neighbourhood can be a little dull and proper, but that’s part of its charm too. In Noord, where I live now, I often experience noise nuisance. You don’t get that here. I also can’t imagine having grown up anywhere else – this neighbourhood feels familiar.”
