It is often said that a city’s main square is its heart and soul, and never more is this true, than in Amsterdam. Dam Square, the city’s epicentre, boasts a colourful and turbulent history, as most major town squares do. We need only look at recent world events, to understand that a geographical central point of reference in a major city can swiftly become the focus of protest, demonstrations and all-round social gatherings. While Amsterdam’s Dam Square may nowadays be renowned mostly for clashes between tourists and pigeons (more comical than newsworthy), this has not always been the case. Indeed, this now enticing tourist hub, complete with UNESCO heritage buildings, trendy café, restaurants and boutiques has witnessed all the trials and tribulations of this now thriving nation. Book an apartment in the Centre Dam area and come discover for yourself why Dam Square is still revered as the birthplace of Amsterdam. It all started innocently enough (as most things do), when a dam was built on this site in the late 1200s to hold off the rising waters of the River Amstel. Settlements on both sides of the river had existed for years, yet their interaction had been kept to ...