Magere Brug

The Magere Brug, or Skinny Bridge, is the best known bridge in Amsterdam, a white wooden drawbridge across the Amstel river. It is one of the most photographed spots in the city, particularly at night, when it is outlined in lights, and it is a fine place to stand and watch the river traffic. The bridge connects the two banks of the Amstel a short walk from the Carré theatre and the Amstel Hotel, and it is easy to reach on foot from the canal ring.

The bridge has a long and rather confused history. The first structure on the spot is said to date from 1691, and a charming legend claims that it was built by two sisters, who lived on opposite sides of the river and wanted to be able to visit each other easily, and who had little money, which is why the bridge was so narrow. The legend is probably not true, and some say the name comes from the thin proportions of the early bridge instead, but it adds to the romance. Over the centuries, the bridge was widened, in 1871 and 1921, and then replaced by a new one in 1934, and it was renovated again in 1969. What stands today is a descendant of the old design rather than a seventeenth-century survival.

It works as a double-leaf bascule bridge, with two halves that rise to let boats through, and it still opens for river traffic, though the operation is now automatic. Until the 1990s, it was worked by hand, with a bridge keeper who lived nearby. Most sightseeing boats pass underneath without needing the bridge to open, but sailing boats and larger vessels often wait for the lift, which makes a good moment to watch. Visitors can walk across at any time, and the bridge is free and open at all hours, and it is used daily by cyclists and pedestrians.

The evening is the best time to see it. The bridge is picked out in lights, with hundreds of bulbs along the structure, and the reflection in the dark water makes an attractive picture. A local belief says that couples who kiss on the bridge at night will stay together, which adds to its popularity with those on romantic strolls. The surrounding area has cafes and restaurants along the river, and it is close to the Canal Belt, the Foam Photography Museum, the Amstelkring Museum and the Bloemenmarkt.

The bridge suits couples, photographers and any visitor passing along the Amstel. A stop takes ten minutes, and it is a convenient part of a walk through the city or a canal cruise.