Watergraafsmeer
Since 1921, the Watergraafsmeer is part of the city of Amsterdam and its rural character has all but disappeared. It is located in the borough of Amsterdam-Oost. The most important streets in the Watergraafsmeer are the Middenweg and the Kruislaan.
History
During the 17th and 18th centuries, a number of wealthy Amsterdammers (inhabitants of Amsterdam) built buitenplaatsen in the Watergraafsmeer. Today, only the buitenplaats of Frankendael remains. On the Maliebaan, people played jeu de mail.
From 1 May 1817 until 1 January 1921, Watergraafsmeer was an independent municipality with approximately ten thousand inhabitants. In the early 20th century, it was mainly agricultural, with horticulture and cattle breeding.
Famous people
- Johan Cruyff, football player
- Max Euwe, Dutch chess player, Dutch chess champion, world chess champion (1935-37), international chess arbiter
- Nola Hatterman, actress and painter
- Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, graphic artist
- Gerard Reve, Dutch writer
- Karel van het Reve, Dutch writer, translator, literary historian
52°21′N 4°56′E / 52.350°N 4.933°E