Ever stopped to wonder about the story etched into the very concrete beneath your feet. That’s the Kattenburgerbrug. This bascule bridge is more than just a way to cross the Nieuwe Vaart. It is a silent witness to centuries of Amsterdam’s maritime history.
The Kattenburgerbrug links the Prins Hendrikkade and Kadijksplein to the Kattenburgerstraat. It connects the southwest to the northeast. Below us flows the division between the Oosterdok and the Nieuwe Vaart. To the north sits the Scheepvaartmuseum. To the south is the Zeemanshuis.
The Kattenburgerbrug has stood here in some form since the 17th century. Back then, Amsterdam was expanding rapidly. Kattenburg itself was a new island. It needed a connection to the city. Stadsarchitect Daniël Stalpaert first drew a bridge here. In 1737, Gerrit de Broen’s map showed a double drawbridge. He called it Kattenburgs Brug near ‘s Lands Magazyn.
By 1876, the drawbridge was replaced. A swing bridge with two approach bridges took its place. Paul van Vlissingen delivered it. The Nieuwe Vaart was a bustling port then. Ships from the NSM and others filled its waters. The bridge’s design was by the Dienst der Publieke Werken.
Interestingly, there was a Kattenburgerbrug stop on the Oosterspoorweg. However, it was north of Kattenburg, not here. From 1878 to around 1950, a railway yard existed east of the bridge.
In 1931, Amsterdam planned to improve traffic flow. The plan aimed to ease congestion along the city’s northern edge. It took many years to complete. After the war, the railway yard was removed. A wide road appeared in 1952. This became the Eilandenboulevard.
The current Kattenburgerbrug dates back to the 1960s. Architect Dick Slebos designed it. He envisioned a large traffic system. The Kattenburgerbrug is one of two sister bridges. The other one is the Kortjewantsbrug. They stand at an obtuse angle to each other.
To make enough space for traffic, part of the Oosterdok was reclaimed. The new Kattenburgerbrug was built just east of the old swing bridge. The bridge’s span is 27 meters wide and 15 meters long. A 48-horsepower electric motor powers it.
A bridge keeper’s house once stood between the Kattenburgerbrug and the Kortjewantsbrug. From there, the operators controlled the Scharrebriersluis as well. Slebos separated fast and slow traffic. A footpath ran under the Kattenburgerbrug. Unfortunately, these underpasses became unsafe. They were eventually closed off.
Over the years, the Kattenburgerbrug carried less traffic than it could handle. The road was narrowed. Traffic shifted to the Piet Heinkade. This was done to reduce car traffic.
Now, imagine this spot in 1787. Patriots and Orangists clashed right here. The Kattenburgerbrug became a battleground. In 1899, a horse tram crossed the Kattenburgerbrug. By 1906, electric trams were running.
So, the next time you cross the Kattenburgerbrug, remember its story. It is a story of trade. It is a story of conflict. It is a story of Amsterdam’s ever-changing landscape.