over the river Amstel in the city centre
of Amsterdam. It connects the banks of the river at Kerkstraat street,
between Keizersgracht canal and Prinsengracht canal.
The last major renovation was done in 1969. Since 2003, only pedestrians
and cyclists are allowed to use the bridge. Many times a day it is
opened in order to let ships pass; the boats used for sightseeing tours
are low enough to pass underneath the bridge when closed. The bridge is
decorated with 1200 light bulbs that are turned on in the evening.
Every year on V-E Day (Dutch: bevrijdingsdag) there is a concert
next to the bridge, which Queen Beatrix usually attends.
The bridge can be seen in a number of films, such as the James
Bond film Diamonds Are Forever from 1971.