Rembrandtplein
Encyclopedia
Rembrandtplein is a major square in central Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

. It is named after the famous painter Rembrandt van Rijn.

The square used to be a butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...

 market but developed into a centre for nightlife with the opening of various hotels and cafés. There are bars chock-a-block with people singing along to Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 folk songs at the top of their voices, and a few large discos. This makes it very popular with tourists as well.

The popularity of Rembrandtplein has arisen along with the café terraces, which are packed during summer. In the middle of the square is a green rectangle of grass with a statue of Rembrandt himself, in front of which there are smaller statues which are a representation of his most famous painting The Night Watch. The biggest building on the square is the former head office of the Amsterdamsche Bank (latterly ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is a Dutch state-owned bank with headquarters in Amsterdam. It was re-established, in its current form, in 2009 following the acquisition and break up of ABN AMRO Group by a banking consortium consisting of Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Santander and Fortis...

), which is currently undergoing renovation.

It is linked to Muntplein by Reguliersbreestraat, down which tram numbers 4, 9 and 14 run (which stop in Rembrandtplein), and to the Blauwbrug (Blue bridge) over the Amstel river by Amstelstraat. Thorbeckeplein, named after Johan Rudolf Thorbecke (1798–1872), is adjacent to the south, leading to Herengracht.

At 7.6 by 15 meters, the biggest LCD-screen in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 is located at Rembrandtplein. Passers-by can interact with the screen with a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone.

The square borders on the Reguliersdwarsstraat, a street widely known for its popularity in the gay scene.

The Night Watch

Twenty two bronze figures created by the Russian artists Alexander Taratynov and Mikhail Dronov were placed in the middle of the square in 2006. These figures are characters from Rembrandt's most famous painting The Night Watch
Night Watch (painting)
Night Watch or The Night Watch or The Shooting Company of Frans Banning Cocq is the common name of one of the most famous works by Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn....

. This painting can be seen in Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum. In 2009 the bronze figures were moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, in 2010 - to Moscow, in 2011 - to Oranienbaum, Russia
Oranienbaum, Russia
Oranienbaum is a Russian royal residence, located on the Gulf of Finland west of St. Petersburg. The Palace ensemble and the city centre are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.-History:...

.

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