Dam Square

Dam Square, also known as the Dam, is a town square located in the historical center of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The square is roughly rectangular in shape, approximately 200 meters from west to east and 100 meters from north to south. It is situated in the original location of a dam in the river Amstel and is flanked by several notable buildings, including the neoclassical Royal Palace, the Gothic Nieuwe Kerk, and the Madame Tussauds Amsterdam Wax Museum. The square has a long history dating back to approximately 1270, when it was built as a dam on the Amstel River, forming the first connection between settlements on either side of the river. The square has undergone several transformations over the centuries, including the addition of new buildings, the filling in of the Damrak, and the construction of the Beurs van Zocher and De Bijenkorf department store. It was a major hub of commercial and government activity and was the site of several notable events, including the unveiling of a war memorial in 1856. In 1945, the square was the site of a shooting that took place two days after the German capitulation, resulting in several casualties.learn more on wikipedia