Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge)
A white wooden drawbridge that opens for river traffic several times a day — and glows with 1,200 light bulbs after dark.
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The present white-painted wooden bascule bridge dates to 1934, designed by Piet Kramer. Its nickname traces back to the first bridge here in 1691 — so narrow locals called it "skinny." The centre section lifts for river traffic multiple times daily, though sightseeing tour boats are low enough to slip under it without a wait.
What to look for
- The white-painted wood construction of the bascule centre section — watch for it rising to let river traffic through
- 1,200 light bulbs that decorate the bridge, switched on each evening
- The narrow span itself — the original 1691 bridge was so thin it was named for its skinniness, not its owners
Pedestrians and cyclists only since 2003; cross after sunset to see all 1,200 bulbs lit.
Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge) is one of 36 sights worth the detour in Amsterdam, all bundled offline in Voyage GO — download the Amsterdam pack and it sits on your map with no signal, filling your travel passport the moment you walk past.
More to see in Amsterdam
- RijksmuseumOne million objects collected over 200 years — and the 8,000 on display include the Dutch Golden Age painters who changed what art could be.
- Amstel RiverAmsterdam literally means "Amstel Dam" — the city takes its name from a medieval dam built across this river.
- Van Gogh MuseumThe world's largest Van Gogh collection exists because his sister-in-law spent years refusing to let his unsold work disappear.
- WeespA town that Holland deliberately over-fortified — then flooded on purpose to hold back armies.
- Johan Cruyff ArenaThe Netherlands' largest stadium exists because Amsterdam lost the 1992 Olympics bid to Barcelona — and built something better anyway.
- Defence Line of Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam)Dutch engineers turned the polder itself into a weapon: flood the fields to about 30 centimetres — too shallow for boats to cross — and Amsterdam becomes an island.