Nieuwmarkt

{{Short description|Square in Amsterdam, Netherlands}}

{{refimprove|date=November 2011}}

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| image = Nieuwmarkt Amsterdam during Koningsdag 2020.jpg

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| caption = The square with the Waag in 2020

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| location = Centrum, Amsterdam, Netherlands

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| metro = Nieuwmarkt

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File:Nieuwmarkt-olie.jpg

Nieuwmarkt ({{IPA|nl|ˈniuˌmɑr(ə)kt}}; {{langx|en|New Market}}) is a square in the centre of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The surrounding area is known as the Lastage neighborhood. It is situated in the borough of Amsterdam-Centrum.

The square is considered part of Amsterdam's Chinatown, next to the De Wallen (Red Light District). There are over 20 cafés and coffeeshops facing the square. There is a daily market on the square, as well as an organic food market on Saturdays and a market for antiques and books on Sundays in the summer months.

The Nieuwmarkt is dominated by a building known as the Waag, originally a gate in the medieval city walls but converted into a weighing house after the walls were demolished in the 17th century. The square was created when the canals around the Waag were filled in 1614, and was used as a marketplace (hence the name). In World War II the square was used by the Nazis as a collection point for Jews who had been rounded up to be sent to the concentration camps.{{cite book|author=Martin Dunford|title=The Rough Guide to The Netherlands|year=2010|publisher=Penguin|isbn=978-1-84836-882-8|pages=69}}

In the 1970s many buildings on and around the square were torn down to make way for a planned metro and four-lane highway,{{cite book |last=Vletter |first=Martien de |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cDRQAAAAMAAJ |title=De kritiese jaren zeventig |publisher=NAi |year=2004 |isbn=9789056623838 |page=182}} which was to run right through the Nieuwmarkt neighbourhood. This led to heavy rioting, known as the Nieuwmarkt Riots (Nieuwmarktrellen), in 1975 and, ultimately, abandonment of the highway plans.{{cite book |last=Mens |first=Noor |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qj-EDZXTtcQC&pg=PA59 |title=ZZDP, architecten-ondernemers |publisher=010 Publishers |year=2004 |isbn=9789064505133 |pages=15, 59 |language=Dutch}} The metro, however, was constructed, and Nieuwmarkt is now a station on the Amsterdam metro (subway) system.