Amsterdam Ordnance Datum, Reference elevation point in Dam Square, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
A brass benchmark installed on a 22-meter pile beneath Dam Square marks the zero-level elevation point for measuring heights across Western Europe.
Mayor Johannes Hudde established the reference point in 1684 after measuring water levels in Het IJ and city canals following the 1675 Amsterdam flood.
The datum influenced European elevation standards, becoming the foundation for the United European Leveling Network and European Vertical Reference System in the 1990s.
Visitors can examine a replica of the brass benchmark at the Stopera building, which includes Victorian leveling instruments and educational exhibits.
The system measures elevation at 35,000 locations across the Netherlands, where most of the land requires constant monitoring due to its position below sea level.
Location: Amsterdam
GPS coordinates: 52.37306,4.89278
Latest update: May 26, 2025 14:31
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