Stationseiland Amsterdam Live Cam

Origins of Stationseiland and 19th-Century Reclamation

Stationseiland, an artificial landform carved from the waters of the IJ, owes its existence to the profound infrastructural ambitions of 19th-century Amsterdam. Originally, the IJ was a broad, tidal bay that separated the medieval city center from the northern shore, providing both a natural harbor and a potential barrier to overland connections. As steam-powered railways began to crisscross Europe in the mid-1800s, local authorities recognized that constructing a central railway terminus would require substantial land reclamation and water management. Beginning in 1875, engineers initiated an ambitious project to reclaim sections of the IJ by driving tens of thousands of wooden pilings—primarily oak and pine—into the silted sea bed. These pilings, sunk some 15 meters deep to reach load-bearing sand layers, formed the columns upon which an intricate network of brick and concrete arches could be built. The reclaimed plateau emerged as Stationseiland, poised to host Amsterdam Centraal Station and its related infrastructure.