Zeedijk

The Zeedijk is defined by its distinct curve, a physical remnant of its origins as a thirteenth-century dike built to hold back the IJ and the Zuiderzee. This stretch of land once served as Amsterdam’s primary seawall, protecting the city from disastrous floods while shaping the city's early development as a port. Because it followed the contours of the water's edge, the street never settled into the straight, grid-like layout found elsewhere in the city center.