Neighbourhoods
Java-eiland — the modern island that plays with the old city
A 1990s residential island in the IJ that reinterprets canal-house Amsterdam: narrow modern façades, four small canals and long quaysides with harbour views.
- modern architecture
- Waterside
- Residential
- walking
- Eastern Docklands
Photo: Hyatt Pan / Google
Java-eiland is what happened when 1990s architects were asked to build a new Amsterdam: a long island in the IJ laid out like a compressed canal city, with four intimate cross-canals, hump-backed bridges and rows of narrow, individually designed façades that echo the Golden Age without imitating it. The quaysides give open water on both flanks — cruise ships gliding past on one side, the Eastern Docklands panorama on the other — which makes the circuit of the island one of the city's great free walks. There is little to “do” here in the checklist sense; it is an architecture and atmosphere destination, best at golden hour with the harbour light doing the work.
Getting there
Directions from the nearest transit hubs to Java-eiland — the modern island that plays with the old city.
Amsterdam's main station — intercity, sprinter, metro 51/52/53/54, most tram lines and city ferries all depart here.
Tram 26 to Rietlandpark then a short walk, or bus 43 onto the island; fifteen minutes by bike from Central Station along the IJ.