Get a load of this charming vintage video of Amsterdam in the 1950s! Check out the city bicycle traffic, boats on the canals and Amsterdammers sitting, chatting and drinking coffee with friends at terraces! It must be summer!

Amsterdam cityscapes in the 1950s

Some landmarks are instantly recognisable in the video, such as the City Theatre, De Bijenkorf department store and Amsterdam central station. Come to think of it, no doubt many buildings in the video have since been bulldozed and redeveloped. Vintage cars swarm around the historic canal belt, while cycling seems as popular as it is nowadays.

The famous Albert Cuyp market and its sellers and shoppers are shown, with a cheerful hustle and bustle. Prices, of course, are in Dutch guilder, because the euro was not even on the horizon back then. The song playing, “Geef mij maar Amsterdam” by Johnny Jordaan was a major hit that year!

Video by Michael Rogge