Timeline of Amsterdam

Prior to 17th century

1270 - Dam built on Amstel River (approximate date).

1303 - Siege of Amsterdam.

1306

13 June: Amsterdam granted city rights.

Oude Kerk consecrated.

1345 - 15 March: Alleged "Miracle of Amsterdam" occurs.

1347 - Heilige Stede chapel built.

1408 - Nieuwe Kerk (church) construction begins.

1421 - Fire.

1425 - Singel canal dug.

1452 - Fire.

1470 - Agnietenklooster built.

1487 - Schreierstoren built.

1490s - Brick city wall built.

1516 - Montelbaanstoren built.

1518 - Egelantier formed (approximate date).

1525 - Anabaptist unrest.

1535 - 10 May: Anabaptist riot occurs; "fanatics ran about the streets naked."

1566 - Beeldenstorm.

1568 - Amsterdam supports Catholics in the Dutch Revolt.

1575 - Erven Lucas Bols in business.

1578

Alteratie shifts power from Catholics to Protestants.

Prinsenhof (Amsterdam) built.

1585 - City expands beyond the Singel.

1586 - Admiralty of Amsterdam formed.

1596 - Rasphuis (prison) established.

17th century

1601 - Goldsmith's guild established.

1602 - Amsterdam Stock Exchange and Dutch East India Company founded.

1603 - Hendrick de Keyser becomes city architect.

1606 - Oost-Indisch Huis built.

1607 - English Reformed Church established.

1609 - Bank of Amsterdam established.

1611 - Koopmansbeurs built.

1613 - Grachtengordel development begins.

1614 - Nieuwmarkt created.

1617

First Dutch Academy formed.

Korenbeurs built.

Town gate remodeled as Weigh House.

1619 - Westerhal built.

1620

Munttoren and Korenmetershuisje (Amsterdam) built.

English-language Corrant out of Italy, German, Etc. newspaper begins publication.

1621 - Dutch West India Company founded.

1622 - Cromhouthuizen built.

1631 - Artist Rembrandt moves to Jodenbreestraat in Amsterdam.

1632 - Athenaeum Illustre formed.

1633 - Oude Lutherse Kerk built.

1637 - Schouwburg of Van Campen (theatre) built.

1638

Hortus Medicus founded.

Accijnshuis built.

1641 - Saaihal (Amsterdam) built on Staalstraat (Amsterdam).

1642 - Rembrandt's artwork The Night Watch shown in the Kloveniersdoelen.

1651 - St. Peter's Flood.

1652 - 7 July: City Hall burns down.

1655 - New City Hall built on Dam Square.

1662

Trippenhuis and Weesperpoort (gate) built.

Blaeu's Atlas Maior published.

1663 - Bubonic plague outbreak.

1665 - New theatre opens.

1672 - Johannes Hudde becomes mayor.

1675 - Portuguese Synagogue built.

1679 - Wynand-Fockink in business.

1682 - Begijnhof Chapel and Amstelhof built.

1683 - Society of Suriname established.

1691 - Skinny Bridge built.

18th century

1748 - Pachtersoproer riots.

1765 - Amsterdam Academy of Drawing founded.

1774 - Theatre opens on the Leidseplein.

1776 - Felix Meritis society and Society for the Advancement of Agriculture established.

1780 - Maagdenhuis built.

1785 - Seamen's Institute, and Society for Public Welfare organized.

1787 - Prussians in power.

1794

Metz & Co established.

Population: 217,024.

1795 - January: French in power.

19th century

1800 - Barrack of St. Charles built.

1808

Amsterdam becomes capital of Kingdom of Holland, client state of the French Empire.

City Hall becomes the Royal Palace.

Royal Institute of Sciences, Literature and Fine Arts founded.

1813 - Oranje-Nassau Kazerne (military barrack) built.

1814

Amsterdam becomes capital of the Netherlands.

Rijks-Museum relocates to the Trippenhuis building.

Bank of the Netherlands headquartered in city.

1815

Doelen Hotel in business.

Population: 180,179.

1824 - Netherlands Trading Society headquartered in city.

1825 - North Holland Canal constructed.

1838 - Zoo opens.

1839

Amsterdam–Haarlem railway begins operating.

Station d'Eenhonderd Roe opens.

Arti et Amicitiae society organized.

1840

Coster Diamonds founded.

Willemspoort (gate) built.

1841 - Mozes en Aäronkerk (church) rebuilt.

1843 - Station Amsterdam Weesperpoort opens.

1845 - Zocher Stock Exchange built.

1852 - Bijbels Museum founded.

1853 - City "water supply" begins.

1854 - Royal Asscher Diamond Company founded.

1855 - Arti et Amicitiae constructed.

1856

Amsterdam–Arnhem railway constructed.

De Eendracht war memorial erected.

Koninklijke Nederlandse Stoomboot-Maatschappij (shipping company) established.

1862 - Bloemenmarkt founded.

1863 - Museum Fodor opens.

1864 - Crystal Palace built on the Frederiksplein (Amsterdam).

1866 - Population: 264,498.

1867

Heineken brewery built.

Amstel Hotel opens.

1869 - Netherlands Bank building constructed.

1870

Rijksakademie, De Bijenkorf shop, and Amstel Brewery founded.

Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland (steamship line) in business.

1874

Amsterdam–Zutphen railway constructed.

Amsterdamse Toneelschool established.

1875 - Amsterdamsche Vereeniging tot het bouwen van Arbeiderswoningen housing association formed.

1876

North Sea Canal opens.

Population: 281,944.

1877 - Municipal University of Amsterdam and Teekenschool voor Kunstambachten founded.

1878 - Den Helder–Amsterdam railway begins operating.

1880 - Vrije Universiteit established.

1881

Telephone in operation.

AVA-woonblok D,E,F,G housing built in Czaar Peterbuurt.

Stille Omgang revived.

1882 - Spui square created.

1883

May: International Colonial and Export Exhibition opens.

Parkschouwburg (Amsterdam) (theatre) built.

Prins Hendrikplantsoen (park) laid out.

1884

Amsterdamsch Conservatorium founded.

Population: 361,326.

1885 - Rijksmuseum opens.

1886 - July: Palingoproer eel riot occurs.

1887

Orange riots..

Elsevier publisher in business.

Basilica of St. Nicholas built.

1888 - Concertgebouw built, and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra founded.

1889 - Amsterdam Centraal railway station opens.

1890 - Victoria Hotel, Amsterdam in business.

1893 - Economic unrest.

1894 - Stadsschouwburg rebuilt.

1895

Wereldtentoonstelling voor het Hotel- en Reiswezen (exhibit) held.

Museum Willet-Holthuysen and Catholic Ignatius Gymnasium (school) established.

1896 - Hotel de l'Europe in business on the Nieuwe Doelenstraat (Amsterdam).

1900s-1940s

1900

Gemeentetram Amsterdam tramway established.

Amstelodamum historical society and AFC Ajax football club formed.

Population: 523,557.

1903

Railroad Strike.

Beurs van Berlage built.

1904 - August: International Socialist Congress held.

1906 - Amsterdam Wind Orchestra ATH formed.

1907 - Nöggerath cinema and Het Houten Stadion (stadium) open.

1911 - Rembrandt House Museum opens.

1914 - Harry Elte Stadium and De Groote Club on Kalverstraat built.

1915

De Bijenkorf (Amsterdam) department store built.

Querido Verlag (publisher) in business.

1917

1917 potato riot.

Amsterdam-Zuid development begins per Plan Zuid.

1919

Public library opens.

Het Schip apartment building erected.

Disteldorp and Vogeldorp areas built in Amsterdam-Noord.

Population: 647,120.

1920

Construction of the Defence Line of Amsterdam completed.

Muzieklyceum and Rialto cinema established.

1921

Buiksloot, Nieuwendam, Ransdorp, Sloten, and Watergraafsmeer annexed.

Tuschinski cinema built.

1923 - Tuindorp Oostzaan area built.

1924.

Institute of Applied Art formed.

National Vocational School for Pastry Chefs opens.

1925 - Tooneelmuseum (stage museum) founded.

1926

Amsterdam Museum established.

Royal Tropical Institute building constructed

HEMA (store) in business on Kalverstraat.

1927 - American Women's Club Amsterdam founded.

1928 - Summer Olympics held.

1929 - Palace of National Industry burns down.

1932 - Joods Historisch Museum opens.

1933 - Alhambra Theater opens.

1934

July: Jordaan riot.

Allard Pierson Museum opens.

1935

International Institute for Social History established.

City Theater (Amsterdam) cinema opens.

1936 - Cineac Theatre built.

1939

Amsterdam Amstel railway station opens.

Apollo House (Amsterdam) built.

1940

German occupation begins.

Het Parool newspaper begins publication.

1941

February strike.

Zentralstelle für jüdische Auswanderung in Amsterdam (Jewish emigration bureau) begins operating.

1943

27 March: 1943 Amsterdam registry attack.

July: Bombing of Amsterdam-Noord.

1944 - 4 August: Frank family arrested.

1945

18 January: Executions on the Fusilladeplaats Rozenoord begin.

5 May: German occupation ends.

7 May: Dam Square shooting.

Filmtheater Kriterion opens.

De Volkskrant newspaper in publication.

1946 - Dutch Historic Film Archive founded.

1947

Anne Frank's Diary published.

Holland Festival begins.

1950s-1990s

1952

May: Amsterdam–Rhine Canal opens.

DOK (discothèque) active.

Filmmuseum founded.

1956 - National Monument erected in Dam Square.

1957 - Horecava hospitality trade fair begins.

1958 - Netherlands Film and Television Academy founded.

1960

Anne Frank House museum established on the Prinsengracht.

Academie voor Kleinkunst (school) founded.

Uitzendbureau Amstelveen employment agency in business.

1961 - Amsterdam RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre opens.

1962 - Hilton Hotel in business.

1965 - Counterculture Provo (movement) begins.

1966

13–14 June: Telegraafrellen (labor unrest) occurs.

Weesperkarspel annexed.

1967 - Catholic Theological University of Amsterdam established.

1968

Art & Project gallery opens.

Theaterschool founded.

1969

March: Bed-In for Peace held.

May: Student protest occurs at the University of Amsterdam Maagdenhuis.

STEIM cultural venue established.

1970 - Population: 807,095.

1971 - Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA railway station opens.

1972 - In-Out Centre opens.

1973 - Van Gogh Museum opens.

1975

Flag of Amsterdam design adopted.

Rainbow Foundation, De Appel art centre, and Other Books and So founded.

Amsterdam Marathon and SAIL Amsterdam begin.

1976 - Sweelinck Conservatorium formed.

1977

9 May: Hotel Polen fire.

Amsterdam Metro begins operating.

Uitmarkt begins

1978 - MonteVideo founded.

1979

Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra founded.

Huis van Bewaring I (Weteringschans) (prison) closed.

1981 - 21 November: Protest against stationing of NATO missiles.

1984

Social unrest.

Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival begins.

1985 - Annual contemporary art fair begins.

1986

Amsterdam–Schiphol railway begins operating.

Stopera opera hall opens.

1987 - Amsterdamse Poort (shopping centre) opens.

1988

International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam begins.

Stopera city hall opens.

1990 - Population: 695,221.

1991

Museum Geelvinck-Hinlopen established.

Museum Jan van der Togt opens.

1992

4 October: Airplane crash in Bijlmermeer.

Miniature Museum founded.

1993 - La Rive and Boom Chicago founded.

1994

Conservatorium van Amsterdam and Prostitution Information Center founded.

SMART Project Space opens.

1996

Amsterdam Gay Pride begins.

Amsterdam Arena built.

1997

2 October: EU treaty signed in city.

Henk Sneevlietweg metro station opens.

IJburg residential archipelago construction begins.

1999 - OT301 squat begins.

21st century

2000

Prostitution in the Netherlands legalized.

Euronext founded.

2001

1 April: First legalized same-sex marriage in the Netherlands occurs.

Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam and Heineken Music Hall open.

Job Cohen becomes mayor.

2004 - 2 November: Filmmaker Van Gogh killed on Linnaeusstraat.

2006 - Amsterdam Film eXperience begins.

2007

KLIK! Amsterdam Animation Festival begins.

Diamond Museum Amsterdam opens.

Centrale Bibliotheek moves into new building.

Amsterdam City Archives relocates to De Bazel building.

De Schreeuw memorial erected in the Oosterpark.

2008 - Amsterdam Holendrecht railway station opens.

2009 - Hermitage Amsterdam opens.

2010 - Eberhard van der Laan becomes mayor.

2011 - February: Retrial of Geert Wilders begins in the Rechtbank Amsterdam (court).

2012

21 April: Sloterdijk train collision.

EYE Film Institute Netherlands opens.

2014

17 July: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 departs from Amsterdam, later crashes in Ukraine.

2014 Amsterdam drug deaths occur.

2015

February: University of Amsterdam Bungehuis and Maagdenhuis occupations (student protest) occur.

Regeneration of Frederik Hendrikplantsoen