brug

Amsterdam has 1,703 bridges — far more than Venice's roughly 400. Every canal needs crossing, and over four centuries the city has built an extraordinary network of stone, iron, and wooden bridges connecting its 90 islands.

The most famous is the Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge) over the Amstel, a white wooden drawbridge that has been rebuilt three times since 1691. It still opens by hand for passing boats, lit by 1,200 bulbs at night.

Many bridges have stories. The Torensluis on the Singel is the widest and oldest (1648), built over a former prison — you can still see the barred windows in the bridge supports. The bridges of the Reguliersgracht, visible in a line of seven arches, are one of Amsterdam's most photographed sights.

The word "brug" comes from Old Germanic and is related to the English "bridge" — both languages sharing this ancient root.