Across the Jacob van Lennepkanaal stands the Jean Dulieubrug a sturdy bridge in Amsterdam Oud-West. This isn’t just any bridge. It’s a piece of Amsterdam’s history. The Jean Dulieubrug has seen it all.
Before it was named in 2016 after Jean Dulieu creator of the beloved Paulus the woodgnome the bridge had a simpler existence. It was simply bridge number 140. Around 1900 a low bridge stood here. It was so low that in 1909 a bargeman hit his head and drowned.
In 1913 a new iron drawbridge replaced it. This was likely designed by Wichert Arend de Graaf. It was electrically operated a novelty for the time. It had to be strong. Tram line 17 ran across it from 1914 to 1923 later followed by tram line 23. The bridge needed to be movable. The Van Lennepkanaal was a vital supply route for the city’s market.
But times changed. The market moved. Car traffic increased. A fixed bridge became the more practical option. In the late 1930s all the bridges over the canal were replaced. The Jean Dulieubrug was rebuilt in 1938.
Piet Kramer’s firm designed this and the other bridges. The design is a restrained version of the Amsterdam School style. It features Kramer’s signature blend of brick and natural stone. There is subtle variation near the waterline. The balustrades are rectangular echoing the earlier bridges. However unlike many of Kramer’s other works this bridge lacks elaborate sculptures or ornamentation. Kramer’s hallmark date stones Anno 1937 are subtly placed under the end balusters.
The tram rails remained for a long time. After 1944 trams only used the bridge during major football matches at the Olympic Stadium. From 1962 to 1971 tram line 27 used the tracks during peak hours. This avoided two movable bridges. In the summer of 1971 during the reconstruction of the Leidsebosje tram line 1 used the tracks for the last time.
Today the Jean Dulieubrug stands as a silent witness to Amsterdam’s past. It carries vehicles and cyclists across the water. It quietly remembers trams and barges. It represents the evolution of Amsterdam’s infrastructure and its enduring connection to its own unique story. It bears the name of a beloved storyteller. A fitting tribute to the bridge’s own rich tale.