Stadsschouwburg (city theatre)

a beautiful building built in Renaissance style and dating back to 1894. It dominates the Leidseplein and is home to Toneelgroep Amsterdam

The Amsterdam city theatre is the country's largest podium and is located on the Leidseplein. It is a unique historical building with festivals, many premières and productions and it is home to Toneelgroep Amsterdam . The performances vary from plays and music theatre to modern dance.

The first municipal theatre in Amsterdam was opened in 1638 on the Keizersgracht and was designed by Nicolaas van Campen. The architects Springer and Van Gendt designed the current municipal theatre. It is a building in the style of the Central Station and the Stedelijk Museum, which were built in the same period.

From outside, the municipal theatre is a Rennaissance building through the use of brick and soapstone and the many little towers on the exterior. Inside, the municipal theatre has a neo-baroque style with many embellishments which may be clearly seen in the auditorium.

There were originally three public entrances at the front of the municipal theatre. The main entrance in the centre was only for a distinguished public. In front of this entrance there is a passageway where the coaches used to be able to drive through up to the doors. The other two entrances were located to the left and right of the main entrance. These side entrances were intended for the less-rich public and led to the second and third balconies which had only wooden chairs and standing room. To reach these balconies one had to climb 88 steps.

The building has a large number of foyers and other public areas. The Plein Foyer used to be called the Smokers' Foyer and was only intended for cigar-smoking gentlemen.

The auditorium is built in the form of a horseshoe in the so-called 'court theatre style' and is a typical framework theatre. There used to be no seats in the auditorium and one 'leaned' against barriers which were fixed to the floor. Nowadays there are 880 seats which all offer a good view of the stage.

How to get there?

By tram: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 or 10 stop Leidseplein
By car: nearest car park Byzantium

Whenever AFC Ajax has a major win, they often go to the steps of the Stadsschouwburg to be publicly applauded.

click on image to enlarge map

Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam

Leidseplein 26
Amsterdam (Leidseplein)

official website Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam
stadsschouwburgamsterdam.nl

Toneelgroep Amsterdam
www.tga.nl