Westerpark Walk audio travel tour guide on Tales & Tours

Guide Description

Amsterdam’s Westerpark district is on the move and always has been. Whereas at the end of the nineteenth century it was an area for the workers that were working in the Westergasfabriek (‘Wester gasworks’) or in the timber docks, in the turbulent 1980s it was home to squatters, musicians, sculptors and film makers.

Even today Westerpark is steeped in culture. Many artists live and work here, there are two art-house cinemas and at least seven theatres. The area accommodates one of the most unusual buildings of the Amsterdam School style. But nowadays Westerpark is most familiar for the huge buildings belonging to the Westergasfabriek and the surrounding park. Residents bump into one another here, and it is the place in Amsterdam for cultural festivals, concerts and demonstrations. The renovation of the gasworks’ grounds in 2005 has resulted in Westerpark hosting a number of extraordinary and innovative cultural events such as Amsterdam International Fashion Week, The Affordable Art Fair and the Awakenings techno party.

The Westerpark district is also characterized by local residents having significant involvement in things happening in the area. They have had a considerable impact on the way the area looks today. Action committees that were set up spontaneously saved many homes from demolition, which were instead renovated without the rent increasing. Even the unique ecological residential area you will encounter on this walk, with its mixture of private and rented homes, is a result of local residents putting their heads together proactively.

This walk will take you to Westerpark’s most special places. The route described is shown on the map in the back of this booklet. Naturally you can shorten or extend the walk as you see fit. The walk will take about 1½ hours.

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