park
Oosterpark
Amsterdam's first big municipal park (1891) in lively Oost — English-landscape lawns, ponds, monuments and the Tropenmuseum on its edge.
Photo: Leh Gysemans / Google
Laid out in 1891 in the English landscape style, the Oosterpark was the first large park the city built for its citizens. Today it is the green heart of multicultural Amsterdam-Oost.
The park
Curving paths, ponds dotted with herons and broad lawns make it a relaxed, local place to walk or picnic. On its edge stands the Tropenmuseum, in a grand old building.
Monuments
The Oosterpark holds the National Monument of the Dutch Slavery Past and De Schreeuw, a memorial to the murdered filmmaker Theo van Gogh. Every 1 July it hosts Keti Koti, the festival commemorating the abolition of slavery.
Getting there
A short tram ride east of the centre, next to the Dappermarkt street market and an easy walk from De Pijp.
What to expect
Landscaped lawns and ponds in English-garden style
The National Slavery Monument and the Keti Koti festival
The Tropenmuseum right on the park's edge
A calm, local crowd away from the tourist centre
Tips from locals
Seek out the National Slavery Monument; on 1 July it's the focus of the annual Keti Koti commemoration.
Look for 'De Schreeuw', the memorial to murdered filmmaker Theo van Gogh, among the park's many statues.
It's right by the Wereldmuseum (former Tropenmuseum) and the Dappermarkt — easy to combine.
Watch for the wild green parakeets in the trees.
It's a relaxed local spot for a picnic or a stroll, away from the tourist crowds.
Did you know?
Opened in 1891, it was Amsterdam's first large municipal park.
It was designed in the English landscape style by landscape architect Leonard Springer.
A centuries-old cemetery had to be relocated to make way for it, amid local protests.
Its National Slavery Monument, unveiled in 2002, marks the abolition of slavery in the Netherlands in 1863.
The park is dotted with monuments to Dutch writers, making it a kind of open-air memory landscape.
FAQ
- Is Oosterpark free?
- Yes. It's a free public park, open day and night.
- What's near Oosterpark?
- The Tropenmuseum sits on its edge, and the Dappermarkt street market is right beside it.
- When is Keti Koti?
- Keti Koti, commemorating the abolition of slavery, is held in the Oosterpark on 1 July each year.
Oosterpark
Oosterpark, 1092 AM, Amsterdam