Everything you wanted to know about Amsterdam Canals but were too afraid to ask! • Pure Boats (2024)

FAQs

How many bodies are in the Amsterdam canals? ›

Amsterdam's canals: The Silent Killer

Each year more than 100 people end up in the water. In most cases, there is no permanent damage. However, according to research performed by the Public Health Service of Amsterdam (GGD), an average of 18 people drown in Amsterdam every year.

Each year, an estimated 18 people drown in Amsterdam's famous canals — and statistics show that men represent the highest number of deaths.

Out of Western Europe, Amsterdam has the worst water quality. Although, this is only for canal water as the Netherlands has the cleanest drinking water in Europe. During the Dutch Golden Age, the canals were used as a place to dump anything. Whether this was garbage or sewage, it all went directly into the canals.

The first Amsterdam Canals were built for water management and defense. As the city grew in the Middle Ages, subsequent defense moats were built inside the walls and no longer served a purpose. They did, however, acquire a significantly new function - local goods transportation.

How many people fall in the canals in Amsterdam? Around 20 people fall in the canals in Amsterdam every year. Mostly it happens to tourists being under influence or sometimes also homeless people that fall in at night. In the winter this is very dangerous as you will undercool very quickly.

How deep are the Amsterdam canals? The average depth of the canals is 2.6m with a lowest point at 4.5m below sea level. Also, 11 million poles are used to support the city!

What are the Risks of Swimming in the Amsterdam Canals? Strictly speaking, canal swimming is discouraged and can come with a fine of up to E140. That said, many Amsterdammers take the risk each summer and enjoy a dip in the city's many alluring and refreshing canals.

Though it doesn't happen as often as it once did, the Amsterdam canal ring does still freeze from time to time. When a period of freezing cold is expected, the city closes of certain sections of the 17^th century canals so that there is no current there, boats can't enter and the water can freeze over.

Some of the popular fish found in the canals include perch, pike, zander, and roach because the canals of Amsterdam are deep enough. The city's efforts to maintain a cleaner environment have played a crucial role in sustaining this aquatic life.

This is the best question about Amsterdam ever! :) There is infact sharks. They are lesser spotted canal sharks, they aren't dangerous, they live off discarded Stroop waffles and croquettes.

Why is Amsterdam full of litter? ›

Perhaps because Amsterdam is considered a European party city, given its acceptance of soft drugs, sex and outdoor alcohol consumption, it's naturally assumed it's okay to throw litter onto the ground, too. In any event, there appears to be little inclination to put litter into a proper container.

An estimated 12,000 to 15,000 bicycles are dredged from the canals of Amsterdam each year. It's a well known fact that Amsterdam is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world, as bikes are said to even outnumber permanent residents.

“Some locals actually live in houseboats on the canals of Amsterdam, in fact there are around 3,000 Houseboats bobbing around the waters” Gary tells us. “And we all know the Dutch love to cycle, but not everyone is careful and every year over 10,000 bicycles are retrieved from the canals.”

Amsterdam was built on wooden piles on soft and marshy ground, which is not the most stable foundation. To combat instability, builders used wooden piles to support the structure. However, over time, wood piles can sink or shift, causing buildings to bow or tilt.

The flag of Amsterdam is the official flag for Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. The current design of the flag depicts three Saint Andrew's Crosses and is based on the escutcheon in the coat of arms of Amsterdam.

Strictly speaking, canal swimming is discouraged and can come with a fine of up to E140. That said, many Amsterdammers take the risk each summer and enjoy a dip in the city's many alluring and refreshing canals. In a nation that adopts a practical approach to life, usually, if it's a need of the people, it's possible.

Amsterdam is connected to the North Sea through the long North Sea Canal. Amsterdam is intensely urbanised, as is the Amsterdam metropolitan area surrounding the city.

Since the canals are man-made, their arc shape reflects the shape of the city center as it expanded outwards by the planning of man. The Canal Ring has a unique architecture that reflects Amsterdam's economic prowess during the Golden Age and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010.

Coins, bones, toys and weapons are among the hundreds of thousands of artifacts recently surfaced from the canals of Amsterdam. Meticulously catalogued by location and organized by age, these finds span the Dutch capital's 800-year history.