Damrak
This unavoidable street leading up to Centraal Station is still lined with a tawdry assortment of shops, hotels, and tourist traps, but it's slowly improving as part of the city's clean-up efforts. Behind the neon signs some examples of lovely Dutch architecture have emerged after decades of hiding. Damrak and its extension, Rokin, were once the Amstel River, bustling with activity, the piers loaded with fish and other cargo en route to the weigh house at the Dam. They were filled in 1845 and 1883, respectively, and now the only open water that remains is a patch in front of the station that provides mooring for tour boats. Damrak now boasts several renovated buildings, and an underground parking lot for bikes has created space on Beursplein for trees and terraces. The new Beurspassage—a passageway linking Nieuwendijk and Damrak—is a particular highlight thanks to a 4,843-square-foot artwork (the largest in the city) called "Amsterdam Oersoep" or Amsterdam primordial soup. It is an homage to Amsterdam’s canals, featuring glass mosaic, tile, terrazzo, and gold chandeliers composed of bicycle parts.
