Magna Plaza

Built in the 19th century as a post office, Magna Plaza is today an iconic shopping centre.

TravelCurious Tip

Using the toilet here costs €1- avoid if possible!

Post-post office

The striped brick of Magna Plaza’s imposing Neo-Gothic façade is a visual delight; the pear-shaped crowns on the roof have earned it the local nickname Perenburg. The building’s construction was considered a marvel in 1899, with 4,650 piles forming foundations in Amsterdam’s notoriously swampy ground. It functioned as the city’s central post office until 1987, when it was converted into a luxury shopping mall.


Elegant interior

Inside are three floors of shops, arranged in arcaded galleries around a magnificent central hall, which is topped by a large skylight. Its boutiques cover plenty of high-fashion brands, as well as everything from books and DVDs to jewellery and souvenirs. There are also a handful of restaurants.

Close to Dam Square, the mall is well worth a visit for the splendid building alone; the shops themselves are rather pricey and perhaps better for browsing than buying, with nearby de Bijenkorf offering a greater selection. A classy feel pervades throughout, however, with a grand piano playing on the ground floor at weekends and a dignified lack of brash advertising.


Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Amsterdam
Dam Square
Lying in the very heart of the Dutch capital, Dam Square is surrounded by scenic and notable buildings.
Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace)
Amsterdam’s Royal Palace is one of the best examples of Dutch Baroque.
Nieuwe Kerk (New Church)
Used for Dutch royal investiture ceremonies, this magnificent church is full of history.
Westerkerk (West Church)
This 17th century Protestant church has a tower with breathtaking views of the city.
Begijnhof
Amsterdam's picturesque ancient court has a fascinating religious history.
De 9 Straatjes
A photogenic zone of nine cobbled streets full of designer stores, vintage boutiques, cafés and galleries.

Related Tours

The Best of Amsterdam: Private Full-Day Tour with a Canal Cruise

Explore the major sights and hidden gems of Amsterdam on this immersive full-day tour of the Dutch capital. With an expert guide, discover Amsterdam's vibrant culture, architectural beauty and eccentricity, intricate canal network, kilometres of cycle tracks, the city's top two museums, its major monuments and lively markets. End your day with a fabulous cruise along the canals.

On your private full-day tour, you will:

  • Start the day with a fascinating tour of the Van Gogh Museum, dedicated to the artist's life and work - with a huge number of self-portraits and the only surviving photo; 
  • Admire such iconic masterpieces as the Potato Eaters, Sunflowers, the Yellow House, the Bedroom and his very last work, Tree Roots; 
  • Learn about Vincent Van Gogh's passionate life and mental health issues through his art, his letter exchanges with his brother Theo, and through his contemporaries such as Gauguin; 
  • Hear what happened on that fateful night with the knife and his ear, and the questions around his tragic death by gunshot;
  • Take a short comfort break before a guided tour of the highlights of the impressive Rijksmuseum;
  • Admire the architecture of the National Museum of the Netherlands, the 80 galleries that house some 8000 pieces of art and artefacts showing the history of Holland from the 1200s to the present day;
  • Explore the breathtaking collection of art by the Dutch Masters of the Golden Age such as Rembrandt and Vermeer;
  • Enjoy a well-deserved lunch break in the foodie Jordaan district, at a place recommended by your guide;
  • Stroll the highlights of the city centre in the afternoon and discover the canal and cycle networks, the historic buildings and famous monuments;
  • Walk by Anne Frank’s house and hear the tragic story of how the Franks were betrayed and sent to the concentration camps where all died, except Anne's father Otto who published her famous diary; 
  • See the famous and historic Torensluis Bridge, Westerkerk, Dam Square with the royal palace, and the smallest house in Amsterdam;
  • Explore the famously beautiful Bloemenmarkt Flower Market and learn the history of Dutch tulips;
  • Finish the day with tickets to enjoy a one-hour public boat trip on the UNESCO World Heritage canal ring of Amsterdam.


Spend the morning exploring Amsterdam's top two museums: the Van Gogh Museum dedicated to the life and works of Vincent, and the Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands, as impressive for its architecture as for its amazing collections of historic artefacts and paintings by the Masters of the Dutch Golden Age like Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Dyck.

Hop on a tram to explore the beautiful, bohemian Jordaan District and stop for lunch in the area (price not included) which was once traditionally a rather poor neighbourhood, attracting amazing artists and poets, including Rembrandt and the famous 17th-century Dutch writer Joost van den Vondel.

After lunch, enjoy an in-depth orientation tour of the city centre. See the highlights of Amsterdam including the Torensluis Bridge, Westerker, and the Anne Frank House. Visit the world-famous floating Flower Market, which has floated on Amsterdam’s innermost canal since 1862. 

See Dam Square, which came by its name the same way Amsterdam did: it began life as a dam of the Amstel River nearly 750 years ago. As the city grew so did the dam, until it became large enough for a town square, and it has been at Amsterdam’s heart ever since! It is also home to a royal palace.

At the end of the tour your guide will walk you to the dock to join your Public Canal Cruise, to do one of the most iconic things in Amsterdam: see the city by water. Your cruise will take you through the warren of the city's canals, now listed as a World Heritage site. A perfect way to end the day! 
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