11 Things to Do in the Jewish Quarter of Amsterdam

In Amsterdam, the area between Nieuwmarkt and Plantage was historically known as the Jodenbuurt (the Jewish quarter). This neighbourhood is home to many buildings of historical significance, which are managed by The Jewish Cultural Quarter, an organisation dedicated to preserving Jewish culture in Amsterdam.

You can access all these buildings with a single ticket purchased at any ticket office affiliated with the Jewish Cultural Quarter.

Booking tickets for Rembrandt House should be on your Amsterdam to-do list. This 17th-century property of the famous Dutch painter is located on the street that used to be the centre of Jewish life and features an exhibition on the artist’s life, his era and an interesting collection of his paintings and engravings.

The mansion was built in 1607 and, before Rembrandt, had been home to various artists and merchants. The artist himself acquired the property in 1639. I recommend setting aside some time to pop into the small museum shop, as you can find some reasonably priced souvenirs there. The house-museum is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.

Furthermore, this is the house where the artist lived and worked for almost two decades and where he created his magnificent work The Night Watch, which you can view if you take a guided tour of the Rijksmuseum, another must-see museum. Although the painter was not Jewish, his paintings often reflect his life amongst the Jewish community: scenes from the Old Testament and many portraits of Amsterdam’s Jewish community.

Located in a complex of four Ashkenazi synagogues dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, it is the main museum in the Jewish Cultural Quarter and one of Amsterdam’s most important museums. It focuses less on the Holocaust and more on aspects of Jewish life and the relationship between the community and the city, being the only Jewish historical museum in the whole country to hold some of the community’s most important documents and manuscripts.

Known as ‘Mokum’ in Hebrew, Amsterdam was a refuge for Jews, where Jewish communities such as the Sephardim from the Iberian Peninsula and the Ashkenazim from Central and Eastern Europe sought shelter. Although they form part of the same ethnic group, these two communities differed greatly in terms of economic status and social standing. This is one of the themes explored by the Jewish Museum Amsterdam.

If Jewish culture interests you, you simply must book your ticket for the Jewish Museum. As for opening hours, it is open every day from 11am to 5pm. On Saturdays and Sundays, there is usually a market in the adjacent square. Below, I’ve included an article on transport in Amsterdam so you can see how to get there.

And, of course, during your trip you must book an Anne Frank tour of the Jewish quarter, where you’ll explore the Jewish quarter and Anne Frank’s story during the Second World War alongside a professional guide who’ll tell you everything you need to know about when the city was under German occupation.

You’ll also explore the Jodenbuurt and Jordaan neighbourhoods and visit the Jewish Historical Museum and the Anne Frank House on this fantastic and moving tour, which will give you an in-depth look at this dark chapter in history.

Gassan Diamonds is an imposing brick building dating from 1897. The one-hour tours, available in several languages, include a visit to the diamond cutting and polishing areas, as well as a look at Gassan’s sparkling collection of watches, diamonds and jewellery. You can book a visit to the Gassan Diamonds factory building every day from 9 am to 5.30 pm.

Before the Second World War, many local Jews worked as diamond cutters and polishers. It was once the world’s largest diamond polishing factory and the first to use steam as a power source.

Round windows featuring the Star of David adorn the elegant Uilenburger Synagogue, which dates back to 1766. Amsterdam’s Sephardic community was one of the wealthiest in Europe during the Dutch Golden Age, and this wealth is reflected in this grand synagogue, which is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the Jewish Quarter.

Admission costs €15 and also allows you to visit other buildings in the neighbourhood. Opening hours are from 10am to 5pm every day except Saturdays.

Interestingly, this synagogue, located in the heart of the Jewish Quarter, replaced a house of prayer dating from 1724. Synagogue services, musical performances and other organised gatherings take place here, usually on Friday evenings, Saturday mornings and public holidays.

One of the few survivors of all the development along St Antoniebreestraat is the Pintohuis, which is now a public library. Easily recognisable by its Italianate façade, it is named after Isaac de Pinto, a Sephardic Jew who fled Portugal to escape the Inquisition and later became the founder of the Dutch East India Company.

If you book a tour of the Jewish quarter, I recommend you pay a visit. Admission is free and it is open Monday to Friday from 10.30 am to 5.30 pm, and Saturdays from 1 pm to 5 pm.

Pinto purchased the property in 1651 and quickly remodelled it in grand style. The mansion was the jewel of the city, even more so when Pinto designed the interior in a style never seen before: upon entering, you can admire the beautiful ceiling frescoes, featuring lots of gold and birds. There are also more recent additions at the entrance, such as the little cherub reading a book.

Visiting the second oldest synagogue in Europe is a real treat. What’s more, your ticket also grants you access to the Jewish Historical Museum across the street. The synagogue is open Sunday to Thursday from 10 am to 4 pm and on Fridays from 10 am to 3 pm, and I recommend you visit it if you book a tour of Amsterdam’s Jewish Quarter.

I advise you not to skip the less prominent areas of the building (the meeting room, winter synagogue, bathrooms, office, candle room, mourning room, rabbinate, etc.), as they reveal far more than one might expect. Also, be sure to go downstairs to visit the treasure chambers, which house items such as 19th-century manuscripts and gold-thread tapestries. You can also browse a collection of books belonging to the world’s oldest Jewish library.

The opportunity to enjoy religious freedom is what brought most Jews from across Europe to Amsterdam. The city earned a reputation for being tolerant and offering equal rights to people from all communities, and so, a century later, in 1665, the Portuguese Synagogue was built. Also known as the Esnoga, at the time it was the largest synagogue in the world, having been inspired by Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem.

Outside the Portuguese Synagogue, standing proudly in the centre of a small square, is the statue of the dockworker, by the Dutch sculptor Mari Andriessen. This statue honours the workers of Amsterdam, particularly those who went on strike in February to protest against the Nazis’ treatment of the city’s Jewish community.

To understand the significance of this statue, on 26 February, 300,000 people joined the protests. On the third day, the strike was harshly suppressed by the Germans, but it is still commemorated every 25 February with an annual wreath-laying ceremony near the statue of the dockworker.

An event you should attend if you visit Amsterdam in February. All political parties, as well as the city’s public transport authorities and Holocaust survivors’ organisations, take part in the commemoration.

If you book a tour of Amsterdam’s Jewish quarter, this museum is well worth a visit, as it has an important story to tell. It focuses on how Jewish children (up to the age of 12) had to wait, separated from their parents, for deportation. Open daily from 11am to 5pm.

Visiting the Holocaust Museum is a deeply moving experience, as it displays objects belonging to young children alongside their stories. There is also an exhibition of photographs, most of which were found years after the war in private collections or antique shops. Many stories are shared through these photos and accompanying documents. More than 104,000 Dutch Jews did not survive the war.

Across the street, you can see the National Holocaust Monument, which lists all the identified victims of the genocide in the Netherlands. A tall, elegant spire sits atop the Star of David, which forms the centrepiece of the monument.

The Waterlooplein flea market is one of those destinations you shouldn’t miss if you’re taking a tour of Amsterdam’s Jewish Quarter. It’s one of the most interesting places and one of the oldest markets in the city. You can find all sorts of items at the numerous stalls, and prices vary from stall to stall. The market is open Monday to Saturday from 9.30 am to 6 pm.

You can find everything from the latest fashions and vintage military uniforms to jewellery, antiques and electronics. You can even get great deals on tattoos – there’s nothing this flea market doesn’t have. With over 300 stalls, it’s too big to see in just a few minutes. So make sure you set aside enough time for your visit.

Historically speaking, it was built in the early 19th century and was the city’s most successful Jewish market until the Second World War, when the Jews were expelled. After the war, the market was revived and has since become one of Amsterdam’s main tourist attractions. For more information about the market, visit the following website.

The Hollandsche Schouwburg, once a popular theatre, was one of the most vibrant venues for the performing arts, staging well-known plays and dramas. However, following the Nazi occupation, it became a scene of tragedy for Jewish families. Today, you can visit it free of charge, as it tells two distinct stories: the heyday of the Jewish community and its decline following the German invasion.

After the Second World War, the theatre’s plight did not improve. Due to protests, the glory of this magnificent theatre never returned. In 1960, the building became a memorial in honour of all the Jews who perished in the Holocaust.

The place that once housed the old stage now serves as a reminder of the tragic persecution of the Jewish people. In 1993, a memorial chapel was installed, commemorating more than 6,700 families, approximately 104,000 Dutch Jews. A must-see if you book a tour of Amsterdam’s Jewish quarter.