Remember these badasses?

Your recap of the Self-Curated Walking Tour through Amsterdam’s Historical Center

Remember these badasses?

Your recap of the Self-Curated Walking Tour through Amsterdam’s Historical Center

We hope you had a wonderful time discovering some of Amsterdam’s hidden badasses.​

You can always come back here to recall your favorites.

And if you want to take the tour again or share it with a friend, you know what to do:

We hope you had a wonderful time discovering some of Amsterdam’s hidden badasses.​

You can always come back here to recall your favorites.

And if you want to take the tour again or share it with a friend, you know what to do:

1.

Dam Square
Portrait of Nydia Ecury

BIPOC

Nydia Ecury
Aruban poet, playwright, and protector of Papiamento
Portrait of Benno Premsela

Jewish

Benno Premsela
Designer and gay rights leader whose strength was forged in hiding
Etching of "Bust of the poet Katharyne Lescaille in the midst of the muses"

LGBTQ+

Katherine Lescailje
Playwright, poet, publisher, and possible corner in a lesbian love triangle
Portrait of Jacoba of Bavaria

Women

Jacoba of Bavaria
Fighting family to be Countess of Holland

2.

The Torensluis
Kid Dynamite playing at Casablanca, on Zeedijk

BIPOC

Kid Dynamite
The first Black saxophonist in the Netherlands
Portrait of Baruch Spinoza

Jewish

Baruch Spinoza
The Humanist philosopher expelled by his community
Portrait of Dirkje Kuik among her books

LGBTQ+

Dirkje Kuik
Writer and illustrator who paved the way for trans people in the Netherlands
Portrait of Mina Kruseman

Women

Mina Kruseman
A dramatic actress, in every sense of the word

3.

The Kattengat
18th-century etchings of Elmina fort

BIPOC

Jacob Rühle
A wealthy Black merchant in Amsterdam’s Lutheran congregation
Photo of the Kattengat Quay under construction, dated October 23, 1941

Jewish

WWII Work Camp
This quay was reinforced and repaired by forced Jewish labor.
Portrait of Wilhelmina Drucker

LGBTQ+

Wilhelmina Drucker
Feminist icon known as “Iron Mina”
Portrait of Aletta Jacobs, with the script "Dr. Aletta H. Jacobs, arts (doctor)"

Women

Aletta Jacobs
The Netherlands’ first female university student and doctor was a political badass

4.

Centraal Station
Native Dutch and native Indonesian passengers wave from the ship "Sibajak" upon arrival in the Netherlands.

BIPOC

Immigrant Ship in the Harbor
A “repatriation ship” bringing former residents of Indonesia to the Netherlands
Etching of Menasseh Ben Israel

Jewish

Printers on the Damrak
Jewish Amsterdammers help make the city a printing powerhouse
19th-century photo of the North Holland Coffee House, with Centraal Station in the background

LGBTQ+

North Holland Coffee House
The pick-up spot hidden in plain sight
Funeral for Dora Haver on Stationplein (Centraal Station Plaza)

Women

Women’s March
A funeral parade turned feminist celebration

5.

The Zeedjik
Portrait of Hsing Yun

BIPOC

He Hua Tempel
Compassion in action in the heart of Amsterdam
Early 20th-century photo at a workstation in the Asscher Diamond Factory

Jewish

A Tiny Piece of the Diamond City
The 1877 ad that was a chip off the diamond block
Bet van Beeren on her motorcycle

LGBTQ+

Bet van Beeren
Protector of the marginalized and badass biker
Based on Dirck Barendsz' painting "Sinful Mankind Surprised by the Day of Judgment", this painting depicts a house party with Elisabeth Buyck

Women

Elisabeth Buyck
Turbulent times and a friendship book

6.

Oude Kerk
Grave of Jacob Matroos Beeldsnijder, within Oude Kerk

BIPOC

Rituals in the Oude Kerk
A 16th-century wedding, a 17th-century baptism, and a 19th-century burial
Portrait of Leo Horn in his referee's uniform

Jewish

Leo Horn
Jewish Resistance fighter turned business magnate turned superstar referee
Portrait of Gerard Reve

LGBTQ+

Gerard Reve
Showing the cost of hidden trauma
Etching of the 1566 Beeldenstorm (Iconoclasm), featuring Weyn Ocker throwing her shoe

Women

Weyn Ockers
Religious rioter martyred by the Spanish

7.

Upper Rokin
Portion of the painting of Pieter Cnoll & Cornelia van Nijenrode, this section focusing on Surapati in the background

BIPOC

Surapati
The enslaved man who became a ruler and an Indonesian hero
Portrait of Francisco Lopes Suasso

Jewish

Francisco Lopes Suasso
Spanish baron, Dutch stockholder, and English kingmaker
Portrait of Mademoiselle le Chevalier d'Eon

LGBTQ+

Mademoiselle le Chevalier d’Eon
Diplomat, author, fencer, spy
16th-century etching of the Miracle of Amsterdam

Women

The Women’s Riot
The only casualty was a foundation

8.

The Begijnhof
Portrait of Astrid H. Roemer

BIPOC

Astrid H. Roemer
An intensely private writer who peers into many worlds
Rembrandt's painting 'Isaak en Rebekka', known as 'The Jewish Bride’

Jewish

Isaack Levi de Bondia
An interfaith affair in a segregated Amsterdam
Demonstrators in the Hague disputing the 248bis laws

LGBTQ+

248bis Protests
The student protest that brought down a homophobic law
Portrait of Joan of Constantinople

Women

Joan of Constantinople
The countess who outwitted a king and a con man

9.

Lower Rokin
Portrait of an anonymous Surinamese Woman

BIPOC

Carolina Reyeg Emicke
Wealthy Amsterdammer whose grandmother was enslaved
Icon of the Hofleverancier (Purveyor to the Court)

Jewish

The Premsela Family
Ashkenazi immigrants who became Purveyors to the Court
Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam

LGBTQ+

Erasmus of Rotterdam
The Humanist scholar who seems smothered by his secrets
Portrait of Wilhelmina I

Women

Wilhelmina I
The queen who saw the Netherlands through wars and depression

10.

Theaters of the Nes
Boy Edgar with his 1964 Dutch Jazz Challenge trophy

BIPOC

Boy Edgar
The bandleader who lived many lives
Portrait of Michel Solser as his character Flipje

Jewish

Michel Solser
Packing the Nes with his “Revue Artistique”
Portrait of Saar de Swart

LGBTQ+

Saar de Swart
The muse in constant motion
Etching of Antoinette de Bourignon

Women

Antoinette Bourignon
Flemish mystic who reached across faiths

11.

The VOC House
Portrait of Kusumoto Ine

BIPOC

Kusumoto Ine
Japan’s first female OB-GYN
1653 painting of the courtyard of the original beurs (stock exchange), filled with traders

Jewish

Joseph de la Vega
The Confusion of Confusions
Cover of the original translation of Leendert Hassenbosch's diary

LGBTQ+

Leendert Hassenbosch
Marooned sailor whose diary became a posthumous revenge
Portrait of Raden Adjeng Kartini

Women

Raden Adjeng Kartini
The mother of Indonesian feminism

12.

Nieuwmarkt
Rembrandt's painting 'Two African Men’

BIPOC

City of Immigrants
Throughout its history, Amsterdam’s immigrants have made the city special.
An Esther Scroll designed by Salom Italia

Jewish

Salom Italia
Engraver whose Scroll of Esther spoke to 17th-century Amsterdam
Performance by drag queens on Nieuwmarkt during Amsterdam Gay Games

LGBTQ+

Amsterdam Gay Games
200,000 visitors from around the world came to compete and find community
Self-portrait of Judity Leyster

Women

Judith Leyster
The first female master painter to run her own studio

1.

Dam Square

BIPOC

Nydia Ecury
Aruban poet, playwright, and protector of Papiamento

Jewish

Benno Premsela
Designer and gay rights leader whose strength was forged in hiding

LGBTQ+

Katherine Lescailje
Playwright, poet, publisher, and possible corner in a lesbian love triangle

Women

Jacoba of Bavaria
Fighting family to be Countess of Holland

2.

The Torensluis

BIPOC

Kid Dynamite
The first Black saxophonist in the Netherlands

Jewish

Baruch Spinoza
The Humanist philosopher expelled by his community

LGBTQ+

Dirkje Kuik
Writer and illustrator who paved the way for trans people in the Netherlands

Women

Mina Kruseman
A dramatic actress, in every sense of the word

3.

The Kattengat

BIPOC

Jacob Rühle
A wealthy Black merchant in Amsterdam’s Lutheran congregation

Jewish

WWII Work Camp
This quay was reinforced and repaired by forced Jewish labor.

LGBTQ+

Wilhelmina Drucker
Feminist icon known as “Iron Mina”

Women

Aletta Jacobs
The Netherlands’ first female university student and doctor was a political badass

4.

Centraal Station

BIPOC

Immigrant Ship in the Harbor
A “repatriation ship” bringing former residents of Indonesia to the Netherlands

Jewish

Printers on the Damrak
Jewish Amsterdammers help make the city a printing powerhouse

LGBTQ+

North Holland Coffee House
The pick-up spot hidden in plain sight

Women

Women’s March
A funeral parade turned feminist celebration

5.

The Zeedjik

BIPOC

He Hua Tempel
Compassion in action in the heart of Amsterdam

Jewish

A Tiny Piece of the Diamond City
The 1877 ad that was a chip off the diamond block

LGBTQ+

Bet van Beeren
Protector of the marginalized and badass biker

Women

Elisabeth Buyck
Turbulent times and a friendship book

6.

Oude Kerk

BIPOC

Rituals in the Oude Kerk
A 16th-century wedding, a 17th-century baptism, and a 19th-century burial

Jewish

Leo Horn
Jewish Resistance fighter turned business magnate turned superstar referee

LGBTQ+

Gerard Reve
Showing the cost of hidden trauma

Women

Weyn Ockers
Religious rioter martyred by the Spanish

7.

Upper Rokin

BIPOC

Surapati
The enslaved man who became a ruler and an Indonesian hero

Jewish

Francisco Lopes Suasso
Spanish baron, Dutch stockholder, and English kingmaker

LGBTQ+

Mademoiselle le Chevalier d’Eon
Diplomat, author, fencer, spy

Women

The Women’s Riot
The only casualty was a foundation

8.

The Begijnhof

BIPOC

Astrid H. Roemer
An intensely private writer who peers into many worlds

Jewish

Isaack Levi de Bondia
An interfaith affair in a segregated Amsterdam

LGBTQ+

248bis Protests
The student protest that brought down a homophobic law

Women

Joan of Constantinople
The countess who outwitted a king and a con man

9.

Lower Rokin

BIPOC

Carolina Reyeg Emicke
Wealthy Amsterdammer whose grandmother was enslaved

Jewish

The Premsela Family
Ashkenazi immigrants who became Purveyors to the Court

LGBTQ+

Erasmus of Rotterdam
The Humanist scholar who seems smothered by his secrets

Women

Wilhelmina I
The queen who saw the Netherlands through wars and depression

10.

Theaters of the Nes

BIPOC

Boy Edgar
The bandleader who lived many lives

Jewish

Michel Solser
Packing the Nes with his “Revue Artistique”

LGBTQ+

Saar de Swart
The muse in constant motion

Women

Antoinette Bourignon
Flemish mystic who reached across faiths

11.

The VOC House

BIPOC

Kusumoto Ine
Japan’s first female OB-GYN

Jewish

Joseph de la Vega
The Confusion of Confusions

LGBTQ+

Leendert Hassenbosch
Marooned sailor whose diary became a posthumous revenge

Women

Raden Adjeng Kartini
The mother of Indonesian feminism

12.

Nieuwmarkt

BIPOC

City of Immigrants
Throughout its history, Amsterdam’s immigrants have made the city special.

Jewish

Salom Italia
Engraver whose Scroll of Esther spoke to 17th-century Amsterdam

LGBTQ+

Amsterdam Gay Games
200,000 visitors from around the world came to compete and find community

Women

Judith Leyster
The first female master painter to run her own studio

Ready for a live tour?

Canal Houses
Small-Group Walking Tour

Women’s History Tour (Loop)

The women who shaped Amsterdam are more complex than traditional tours would have you believe. Go to historic sites Amsterdam to hear stories of women who fought, wrote, calculated and led through Amsterdam’s chaotic and complicated past.

Read More »
Small-Group Walking Tour

LGBTQ+ History Tour (Loop)

The world’s first gay marriage was officiated by the Mayor of Amsterdam at its City Hall. But did you know that the city’s LGBTQ+ history stretches centuries? Meet historical Amsterdammers across the gender spectrum and sexual orientations.

Read More »
Small-Group Walking Tour

Jewish History Tour (Loop)

In 1593, Jewish Amsterdammers began building a community in the relative safety of the city that transformed both the Netherlands and the world. Learn about these creative, compassionate, and challenging mavericks and their lasting impact.

Read More »