Westerstraat, Amsterdam — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Westerstraat, in the Jordaan district, is lined with market stalls on most days, but there's something you might not realize when you walk along it: Westerstraat used to be water. The street was originally the Anjeliersgracht, a canal dug in the early 17th century as the city expanded. For more than 250 years, it carried water; then, in 1861, the decision was made to fill it in. The canal became a street, making room for the city to grow and traffic to flow.

The transformation wasn't wasteful. The filled-in space became home to a marketplace, and the character that had defined the area as a canal district simply shifted form. The Monday market at Westerstraat is one of Amsterdam's most distinctive, with 160 to 212 stalls depending on the season. The market was originally known as the Lapjesmarkt, the textiles market, reflecting the district's historical connection to the textile trade. That textile tradition has largely faded from the stalls, but the market remains vibrant with produce, flowers, antiques, and everyday goods.

The Jordaan district itself is one of Amsterdam's most charismatic areas, and Westerstraat sits at its heart. Walking the street on a Monday morning, surrounded by the energy of vendors and shoppers, you're experiencing something that has continuity back centuries. The space that was once a canal carrying boats now carries people, and the community function remains remarkably similar: it's a place where people come to buy what they need and encounter their neighbors.