Naatje of Dam Square

Naatje van de Dam was a war memorial featuring a female figure elevated on a pedestal in Amsterdam's central square. The monument occupied a prominent position where multiple streets and pathways converged around it.

The memorial was erected in 1856 under King William III and remained a fixture on the square for more than half a century. It was removed in 1913 to make room for other developments in Amsterdam's central area.

The monument served as a gathering point where people could pause and reflect on national events in the heart of the city. It functioned as a physical anchor for collective memory in one of Amsterdam's most visited spaces.

The site was once easy to locate, positioned at the center of Dam Square and accessible from most of the city's main tourist areas. Visitors should note that while the memorial no longer stands, the square itself remains open and easy to reach on foot.

Locals affectionately nicknamed the memorial 'Naatje,' a familiar term in Amsterdam dialect that became so common it eventually replaced its formal name. This informal nickname reflected how residents had made the monument their own through everyday speech.

Location: Amsterdam

Inception: 1856

Creator: Louis Royer

Official opening: August 29, 1856

GPS coordinates: 52.37311,4.89259

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:44