Image by G.J. Broens

The old stadium of the 1928 Olympic Games is of course an important landmark in its own right. Built in the ‘Amsterdam School‘ style the somewhat rectangular complex is rather impressively plump more than it is an overwhelming beauty. Nevertheless, the stadium is a fine example of the style familiar for its rectilinear composition and no-nonsense use of materials, very popular in the first half of the 20th century. 

There are a lot of different activities hosted in the stadium. As an active runner I especially like to participate in one of the sporty ones. First of all, because it’s fun. Secondly, because it’s free of charge. Every second Friday of the month runners’ club Phanos organizes a duration course. In different groups (with tempos varying from 9 till 13 km/h) two or three ‘pacers’, which will dictate the assigned running speed, head out on the road with anyone who’s willing to follow. It’s up to you to choose which group you wanna follow, but keep in mind that the group will keep its assigned tempo… with or without you.

Starting at 19:30 with a communal warming-up, every group will run a route that takes them approximately an hour, till they are safely back at the same spot they started. Afterwards you can enjoy a well-deserved revitalizing (free) drink at the entrance gate of the stadium. For other drinks or snacks you can visit the Phanos canteen inside the stadium.

So find those old sneakers and join! Next runs are February 10th, March 9th and April 13th.

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Free Friday Night Run | Relaxing, Festivals & events | Free
Olympisch Stadion 2 | South
Second Friday of the month 19:30

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam

Image by Patty de Gruiter

The Oude Kerk (“old church”) is Amsterdam’s oldest parish church, consecrated in 1306 by the bishop of Utrecht. It stands in Amsterdam’s main red-light district.

Before the revolution in Amsterdam on 26 May 1578 in which the Roman Catholics lost sole control of the city government, the Oude Kerk was principally Catholic. Following William of Orange’s defeat of the Spanish and the influence of Calvinists, the church was adopted by the Protestants.

In the same year, the Oude Kerk became home to the registry of marriages. It was also used as the city archives, the most important documents locked in a chest covered with iron plates and painted with the city’s coat of arms. The chest was kept safe in the iron chapel.

The roof of the Oude Kerk is the largest medieval wooden vault in Europe. The Estonian planks date back to 1390 and boast some of the best acoustics in Europe. Therefor, the church is used a lot for concerts and exhibitions.The floor consists entirely of gravestones. The reason for this is that the church was built on a cemetery. Local citizens continued to be buried on the site within the confines of the church until 1865. There are approximately 2500 graves in the Oude Kerk, under which are buried 10,000 Amsterdam citizens.

I personally think it is not the nicest church in Amsterdam, but still very impressive.

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Oude Kerk | Art & culture, Festivals & events | Entrance fee € 5.00
Oudekerksplein (entrance South) 23 | Center | +31206258284
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 17:00, Sun 13:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Amsterdam