Oosterpark

1. Arrival
2. Nights
3. Guests
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Oosterpark is one of the first parks established by the government of Amsterdam. It is vast in size and provides a wonderful pond and plentiful amount of green space for a nice day to relax. The park is located east of the center of the city and is situated in one of the most cultural areas in the city.

Originally designed and mastered by the Dutch landscape artist, Leonard Anthony Springer, he intended for the design to be a more English looking garden. The construction soon went underway and was completed in 1891. The park is now open all year round and free to the public. The Amsterdam government saw it as vital to include a public park in the city in order to preserve as much greenery as possible, as well as to give the locals a place to rest and unwind.

One quirk of the park is it originally was a cemetery, until the government uprooted and moved the cemetery further away, in order to create this park. The park still contains a small section of the former cemetery.

If looking for a little break from the dense city of Amsterdam, travel to the park to enjoy locals, the weather, the pond, and the various memorials. The two significant monuments located within the park are the National Slavery Memorial and the Theo van Gough Memorial. The National Slavery Memorial celebrates the abolition of slavery in the Netherlands in 1863 and the van Gough Memorial honors Theo van Gough for his powerful, bold, and controversial works of film and articles. In 2004, Dutch-Muslim, Mohammed Bouyeri, tied to terrorists of the Hofstad Network, murdered Theo van Gough. The Memorial reminds the public of every citizen’s right to free speech, which is exactly how Theo died.

Oosterpark is a wonderful place to visit as it gives a refreshing break to a constantly moving touristy city. Go to the park for a day of culture and relaxation.