Olympic Stadium

The grand Olympic Stadium was designed by Jan Wils, a protégé of famous architect HP Berlage, and is functionalist in style. The arena was built for the 1928 summer Olympic Games, and has a soaring tower from which the Olympic flame burned for the first time during competition. The stadium is classified as a national monument; today it hosts sporting events and concerts. Much of the housing in southwest Amsterdam originates from the time of the 1928 games. Many of the streets and squares in the area bear Greek names like Olympiaplein and Herculesstraat. Trams 16 and 24 go from Centraal Station direct to the stadium.