Do you see the wooden handrails? This is the Piet Keizerbrug. It is named after the famous Ajax player Piet Keizer.
The Piet Keizerbrug is a pedestrian and bicycle bridge. It connects Esplanade de Meer and Stade de Colombes street. The bridge runs parallel to the Sjaak Swartbrug. Both cross a small canal. This canal surrounds the Park de Meer neighborhood.
The Piet Keizerbrug is bridge number 2234 in Amsterdam. It was built between 1998 and 2002. Scala Architecten designed it. They designed many bridges and houses in this area. In 2005, all the bridges here were named after Ajax players. These players were famous in the 1970s. At that time, Ajax played in the Stadion De Meer. The stadium was replaced by this neighborhood in 1996.
Piet Keizer was a famous left winger. He was not at the naming ceremony. The Piet Keizerbrug has concrete pillars and a concrete deck. The railings are made of wood. Usually, the bridge name is on the railing. Here, it’s on a lamppost and the overspan.
Look closely at the wooden railings. The wood carvings are special. Mathieu Nab created them.
Piet Keizer played 490 matches for Ajax. He scored 189 goals between 1961 and 1974. He won three European Cups in a row. This was in 1971, 1972, and 1973. They lost the 1969 final. Keizer also won six Eredivisie titles. Plus, he won five KNVB Cups. He won two European Super Cups. And he secured one Intercontinental Cup and one Intertoto Cup.
In 1973, the Ajax players voted Keizer as their captain. This was instead of Johan Cruyff. Weeks later, Cruyff went to Barcelona.
Keizer played 34 times for the Dutch national team. He scored 11 goals. He played in the 1974 FIFA World Cup.
Sadly, Piet Keizer passed away in February 2017. He had lung cancer. UEFA called him a genius on the left wing. Cruyff put Keizer in his “ideal squad”.
So, as you cross the Piet Keizerbrug, remember the football legend. Think of his skill and the history of Ajax. This bridge is a tribute to a great player. It connects people and memories.