The Waag was built as a gate in the city walls in 1488. In 1601 the walls were demolished as the city expanded and the building was turned into Amsterdam's main weigh house, then a spot for public executions. A bar-restaurant occupies it today. Out front, Nieuwmarkt hosts a variety of events, including a Saturday farmers market.
In its early days the Waag looked more like a castle, fronted by a moat-like canal. By the 17th century it was home to various guilds. The surgeons' guild, which occupied the upper floor, commissioned Rembrandt's famous The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Tulp (displayed in the Mauritshuis museum in Den Haag). The masons' guild was based in the tower facing the Zeedijk; note the superfine brickwork.
