Amsterdam (Rough Guide) - Martin Dunford [76]
To get to De Pijp by public transport from Centraal Station, take tram #16 or #24 as far as Albert Cuypstraat; or take tram #25, which heads along Weteringschans, threads round the Sarphatipark and then continues down (the southern reaches of) De Pijp’s main drag, Ferdinand Bolstraat. For De Dageraad, take tram #4, also from Centraal Station.
The outer districts | The Oud Zuid |
The Wetering circuit
At the southern end of Vijzelgracht, on the city-centre side of the Singelgracht, is the Wetering circuit roundabout, which has two low-key memorials to World War II. On the southwestern corner of the roundabout, by the canal, is a sculpture of a wounded man holding a bugle; it was here, on March 12, 1945, that thirty people were shot by the Germans in reprisal for acts of sabotage by the Dutch Resistance – given that the war was all but over, it’s hard to imagine a crueller or more futile action. Across the main street, the second memorial in the form of a brick wall commemorates H.M. van Randwijk, a Resistance leader. The restrained wording on the monument translates as:
De Pijp shop
When to the will of tyrants,
A nation’s head is bowed,
It loses more than life and goods –
Its very light goes out.
The outer districts | The Oud Zuid |
The Heineken Experience
On the far side of the Singelgracht, on the northern edge of De Pijp at Stadhouderskade 78, the Heineken Experience (daily 11am–7pm; €15; www.heinekenexperience.com; tram #16 or #24 from Centraal Station) is housed in the former Heineken brewery, a whopping building that was the company’s headquarters from 1864 to 1988, at which time the firm restructured and its brewing moved out of town. Since then, Heineken has developed the site as a tourist attraction, with displays on the history of beer-making in general and Heineken in particular. The old brewing hall is included on the tour, but for many the main draw is the beer itself – although the days when you could quaff unlimited quantities are long gone. Considering it’s not a real brewery any more (you won’t see any brewing taking place), Heineken make a decent stab at both entertaining and informing – as well as promoting the brand, of course. There are lots of gimmicky but fun attractions, including a whole gallery devoted to Heineken’s various advertising campaigns and a weird show on what it’s like to be a bottle of Heineken, from bottling plant to delivery. You can also order a bottle of Heineken with your name on it, visit the stables to see the brewer’s Shire horses, and star in your own Heineken music video, which you can email to your friends. You also get a free drink at two bar stops along the way. The second stop – at The World Bar – makes a convivial end to the proceedings and they throw in a Heineken glass as a souvenir on the way out.
The Heineken Experience
The outer districts | The Oud Zuid | The Heineken Experience |
Freddy Heineken
Heineken may not be the finest lager in the world, but no other brewer, Guinness apart, has thought up such catchy advertising slogans – “Heineken refreshes the parts other beers cannot reach”, for one, is well-nigh impossible to beat. Alfred (“Freddy”) Heineken (1923–2002) was the mastermind behind the company’s rise to alcoholic success, but his route was far from straightforward. The company was founded in 1864 by Alfred’s grandfather, Gerard, but his son and successor, Henry Pierre, sold the family’s majority stake in 1942. Freddy didn’t like this at all, but he bided his time, working his way up through the company ranks before skilfully amassing a majority shareholding in the 1950s. Chairman from 1979, Freddy ran the company with a beady eye for the main chance, increasing its sales dramatically both at home and abroad, while simultaneously developing a reputation as a playboy, or,