| Vondelpark | |
|---|---|
 A pond in the Vondelpark | |
 Map of the Vondelpark | |
| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Amsterdam,Netherlands |
| Coordinates | 52°21′29″N4°52′05″E / 52.358°N 4.868°E /52.358; 4.868 |
| Area | 47 ha (120 acres) |
| Created | 15 July 1865 |
| Operated by | Amsterdam-Zuid |
| Visitors | 10 million[1] |
| Status | Open all year |
TheVondelpark (Dutch pronunciation:[ˈvɔndəlˌpɑr(ə)k]) is a publicurban park of 47 hectares (120 acres) inAmsterdam,Netherlands. It is part of theborough ofAmsterdam-Zuid and situated west from theLeidseplein and theMuseumplein. The park was opened in 1865 and originally named Nieuwe Park (English: New Park), but later renamed Vondelpark, after the 17th-century playwright and poetJoost van den Vondel. The park has around 10 million visitors annually. Within the park is an open-airtheatre, aplayground and several food service facilities.
In 1864 a group of citizens led byChristiaan Pieter van Eeghen established theVereeniging tot Aanleg van een Rij- en Wandelpark (English:Association for the Construction of a Park for Riding and Walking). They bought several hectares of grass-land and marshes at the rim of the city of Amsterdam, in order to create the new park. They assigned its design to the architectJan David Zocher, and in 1865 "Het Nieuwe Park" (English: "The New Park") was opened free for members of the association and with other citizens paying an entrance fee.[2]
Two years after the park opened, in 1867, astatue of writer and playwrightJoost van den Vondel by sculptorLouis Royer was placed in the park on a stand designed by architectPierre Cuypers[2] As a result, people started to call the park "Vondelspark" (English: "Vondel's Park").[3]
In 1873, abandstand was built. In the same year, brewerGerard Adriaan Heineken was denied permission to open a bar in the park, so he built theBierhuis Vondel (English: "Beer House Vondel") in a nearby street in what is now Vondelstraat 41.[2]
The last part of the park was designed byLouis Paul Zocher, Jan David Zocher's son, and was realized from 1876 to 1877.[4] The park then arrived at its current size of 47hectares. TheEnglish garden style design of the Zochers has been roughly maintained, although in the late 19th century the elongated park had a stream of water running through it with many paths and bushes alongside it.[3]
In 1878, thePavillon (English: "Pavilion") was built to replace a woodenchalet built by Louis Paul Zocher. ThePavillon is currently known as theVondelparkpaviljoen (English: "Vondelpark Pavilion"). The park's name officially became "Vondelpark" (English: "Vondel Park") in 1880.[2]
Already in the 1880s and 1890scycling in the park was causing problems. The park management tried to resolve this with restrictive measures against cyclists, such as special bike paths, limited opening hours, and fines for cyclists that were going faster than a horse'strot. It was only after mediation of theAlgemene Nederlandsche Wielrijders-Bond (English: "General Dutch Cyclists Union"), that helped fund the park, that a park guard was installed and cyclists were again permitted to cycle normally.[2]
In 1936, arose garden was created in the center of the park.[3]
One year later in 1937, theBlauwe Theehuis (English: "Blue Tearoom") was opened. Thistearoom is a roundmodernist building, designed by the architectural office Baanders.[5]
In the following years the overall maintenance of the park became too expensive for theVereniging tot aanleg van een rij- en wandelpark (English: "Association for the creation of a park for riding and strolling"), due to an intensified use, and in 1953 the association donated the park to the city of Amsterdam. The landscape architectEgbert Mos renovated the Vondelpark for the city in the 1950s. The purpose was improve the park for both usage and maintenance. Small bushes were grouped into larger bushes, superfluous paths were removed, and the rose garden was renovated. Also the stream of water in the "trunk" near the northern entrance of the park was removed.[3]
In the 1960s children'splaygrounds were created. During theflower power era in the 1960s/1970s the Vondelpark became a symbol of a place where "everything is possible and (almost) everything is allowed".[6] In the 1980s an open-airtheatre was built.[3]
The Vondelpark received the status ofrijksmonument (English: "state monument") in 1996.[3]
In the 1990s the number of visitors grew to approximately 10 million visitors annually. The grassy areas are used as sports field and the paths asbike paths. Consequently, the city renovated the park from 1999 to 2010. The purpose was to beautify the park and lessen the need for maintenance. The renovation took more than ten years in order to increase convenience for visitors and for the security of resident animals.[7]
Starting in September 2008, adults were legally allowed to have sex in the park,[8] as long as they "[took] their garbage with them afterwards and never [had] intercourse near the playground. Sexual activities were to be limited to the evening hours and night.", in the words of current AmsterdamAldermanPaul Van Grieken.
The Vondelpark Openluchttheater is an open-air theatre with shows from June until August. There are performances ofclassical music,pop music,world music,dance,musical theatre, andcabaret. The theatre receives a subsidy from the city government. And although all performances have free entrance, visitors are asked for a donation of oneeuro.[9]
In 2009, an international design competition was held to update Vondelpark’s public furniture. The winning design, bylandscape architectAnouk Vogel with architect Johan Selbing, introduced a new suite of cast-iron furnishings including benches, lighting and kiosks.[10] Installed from 2012, the benches feature motifs of local flora and fauna. The park benches can be “adopted” by individuals or companies, who may dedicate them with personalized plaques for a fixed period.[11]
In the park are several food service (horeca) facilities (listed in alphabetical order):
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There are somestatues in the park:
Every Friday there is theFridaynightskate that starts in front of theFilmmuseum.
Yearly events include the golf tournament Vondelpark Open and the running contest Vondelparkloop.
TheKing's Day celebrations on 27 April in the Vondelpark focus specifically on children. There is a "freemarket" (Dutch:vrijmarkt) and there are games and other activities for children.
From June until August there are music and dance performances in theopen-air theatre.
Since 2011 on the evening of All Soul's Day people gather and float many small "remembrance" boats with a lighted candle in the big pond to remember those who have died in the last year(s).[16]
From 2015 until 2020 and in 2024, the live broadcast finale of the Dutch television seriesWie is de Mol? (Who is the Mole?), where the Mole (and their activity during the season) is revealed, took place at VondelCS (a cultural event centre in the park).
The park is referenced inAcda en De Munnik's song "Vondelpark vannacht" from the albumAcda en De Munnik (1997), inOmar Rodríguez-López's song "Vondelpark bij nacht" from the albumOmar Rodriguez (2005) and inJohn Craigie's song "Vondelpark" from the albumWorking On My Farewell (2015).1990s' 2009 album 'Kicks' opens with a track entitled "Vondelpark", which is a tour diary from one of the band's trips to the Netherlands. The Englishdream pop bandVondelpark took their name from the park.
English Indie musician Jess Kemp has a single titled 'Vondelpark'
Since the 1970s the park has a growing population of feralrose-ringed parakeets.[17]
| International | |
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| National | |
