The Amsterdam Dungeon: Meet The City’s Scary Past
It’s hard to describe Amsterdam in words. The city is considered one of the most sought-after tourist destinations globally, not only among young people. You will find spectacular canals, parks, museums, historical sites, and attractions for all family members. But we’re here to talk about horror and activities primarily suitable for adults.
Happily, Amsterdam has quite a few spooky sides that can be brought to life. The Amsterdam Dungeon is one of the most popular attractions in this area. So are you ready to learn about the history of Amsterdam with stories, special effects, and live actors that will make you scream, laugh, and learn?
The Dark Times Of Amsterdam
Even before talking about Amsterdam’s Dungeon, it is essential to understand that this touristy, happy, and free city has many dark sides, spanning at least 500 bloody years. This is, of course, alongside the present, which is not always optimistic, with areas that are considered controversial – for example, the red light district – and attractions that test the limits of visitors, such as the Body Worlds Exhibition that we reviewed on the site a few months ago.
Throughout history, Amsterdam has witnessed many atrocities, including:
- The Spanish Inquisition, in which those who did not accept the Catholic faith were persecuted and tortured in the most brutal ways imaginable (in fact, you’d probably find it hard to believe that anyone could think of such brutal methods)
- Similar to other cities in Europe and the world, Amsterdam also went through challenging epidemics. The Black Death attacked the city in different waves until the 17th century, leaving thousands of corpses
- The witch hunt, in which women were accused of “black magic” and burned at the stake for not committing a crime
- Public executions in cruel ways, for example, of criminals or rebels
- Slave trade, in which millions of Africans were exploited and turned into slaves throughout Europe for economic reasons
- Anatomy surgeries, which were sometimes conducted in front of an audience
These are just some of the terrible events that shaped the history of Amsterdam. If you want to learn more about them, you can visit The Amsterdam Dungeon, where you can experience them firsthand. Or at least something very close to it. All the information in the next Amsterdam Dungeon review.
What Is The Amsterdam Dungeon?
You may know what to expect if you have visited at least one Dungeon in your life (simulated, yes?) or read our reviews of similar attractions – especially The London Dungeon or Berlin Dungeon. The Dungeon in Amsterdam is part of a network of attractions of this type and is relatively new in this landscape. If the London dungeon was opened back in 1974, and a decade later the Edinburgh dungeon in Scotland (which receives excellent reviews, even though the city itself is less known to the average tourist), then The Amsterdam Dungeon was “only” opened in 2006, in an ancient building from 1912 that used to be a church.
The main goal of the Dungeon, as we mentioned before, is to reproduce as realistically and frighteningly as possible the dark sides of the history of the Dutch capital. The Amsterdam Dungeon Museum is a well-made attraction, held in groups of up to 30 visitors. It combines realistic scenery, props, costumes, special effects (from scary noises like screams, moving chains or bells, through different textures and sensations to certain smells like fire, blood, and even rotten meat), and perhaps the highlight – about ten live actors, who will scare the visitors in different ways. The players wear the characters of judges, witches, pirates, torturers, and murderers. The participants in the group also take part in this role framework, when sometimes they are chosen by the players, and the result is amusing.
The Amsterdam dungeon offers several different interactive elements, such as challenges or games, designed further to increase the experiential side of the visit here. In other words: this is a combination of several attractions, such as scary museums or even a theater performance, which creates a visit here that, according to most reviews, is very successful.
Shows And Other Experiences
It is important to note that The Amsterdam Dungeon has changed and upgraded in various ways over the years. Some attractions existed but were closed over the years for many reasons. A clear example IS the Reaper: Drop Down To Doom, Amsterdam Dungeon roller coaster, which was opened in 2005 but closed in 2014.
Today, the Dungeon offers several unique rooms and small shows, including a reconstruction of the great fire that destroyed large parts of the city in 1452, a rather impressive display of tools and methods of torture, a reconstruction of a trial held at the “Council of Blood,” a historical story about serial killers in the history of the city such as “Black John,” local folk legends such as that of the “Flying Dutchman” (a ghost ship that according to legend is doomed to sail forever in the ocean), a stay on a pirate ship Yam, a visit to a bar is not very sympathetic – and the list goes on since there are a total of ten such shows. Each room or attraction lasts a few minutes, and in full, you can expect a visit that lasts about 75 minutes.
Please note that the shows are in English or Dutch. According to the official website of the Dungeon, the language in each tour will be chosen according to the composition of the participants. The shows will likely be in English if you come with other tourists. Since shows come out every fifteen minutes, you can ask to wait until the next show in the language that suits you.
The Amsterdam Dungon Opening Hours
The Amsterdam Dungeon is open most days of the year, except for Christmas Day (December 25) and King’s Day in the Netherlands (April 27). However, the opening hours vary depending on the season or day of the week or you visit here.
As for 2023, The Amsterdam Dungeon opening hours are as follows:
Sunday: 11:00-18:00
Monday: 11:00-17:00
Tuesday: 11:00-17:00
Wednesday: 11:00-17:00
Thursday:11:00-17:00
Friday: 11:00-18:00
Saturday: 11:00-18:00
The last tour starts one hour before the closing time of The Amsterdam Dungeon Museum.
During local holidays or vacations, the opening hours may be extended. We recommend checking the hours on the relevant day before visiting or ordering a ticket.
Amsterdam Dungeon Tickets Types
Since these are pretty limited hours, we recommend that you coordinate in advance and buy tickets online, most of which include the possibility of changing or canceling up to 24 hours before the planned date.
Buying tickets online will prevent you from having to wait at the site, will eliminate the possibility of a situation where you arrive and discover that you have no tickets left at the specified time, and can be financially more profitable.
Want to visit Amsterdam’s Dungeon? Here are the main options to do it:
- A standard ticket can be purchased online (Online Saver Ticket) or on the ticket websites. Offers savings of about 3 euros compared to buying a ticket at the box office
- A ticket that combines the Amsterdam dungeon with the famous Madame Tussauds wax museum, so the price is cheaper than buying tickets for each attraction separately
- A combined ticket of the Dungeon with This is Holland, a five-dimensional “flight” experience in the skies of Holland.
- Amsterdam Dungeon, Madame Tussauds, and This is Holland combo ticket. Here the savings are even more significant if you visit all these attractions.
- A ticket that combines the Dungeon with a cruise in the canals of Amsterdam
- Pre-Book Ticket – an option that is very suitable for those looking for flexibility. It allows you to choose any date up to a year from the date of purchase and make date changes, if necessary, up to five times free of charge
- Anytime Ticket – This Amsterdam Dungeon ticket will allow you to visit the Dungeon any time you want during opening hours – without having to coordinate in advance or choose a time slot. Of course, this is a more expensive option, but on the other hand, it will give you total flexibility for any changes.
Where To Buy Amsterdam Dungeon Tickets?
Since we are in 2023, you can view tickets on your smartphone if you buy tickets through the official website or the various ticket websites. We always recommend downloading the tickets to your device or taking a screenshot of them because, according to Murphy’s Laws, you may encounter a problem surfing the Internet at the exact moment when you need to present the Amsterdam Dungeon ticket at the entrance.
For a variety of Amsterdam Dungeon tickets and combinations, visit the following websites:
Who Can Visit The Amsterdam Dungeon?
Amsterdam’s Dungeon is excellent for anyone who loves horror and history. From our impressions (and the reviews available on the Internet), it is not too scary an attraction for true horror fans and those who have already visited other experiences of this type.
Nevertheless, some limitations are essential to be aware of. The Dungeon is unsuitable for young children or easily frightened or offended people. The place allows entry but only for children over the age of 10, where up to 12, it is necessary to be accompanied by someone over 16).
Since this is a potentially frightening attraction, which also takes place in a closed and dark space, it is not suitable for people suffering from problems such as epilepsy, heart disease, claustrophobia, or other sensitive medical conditions.
People with physical disabilities who move around in wheelchairs can visit The Amsterdam Dungeon, with some restrictions. There is no possibility of an electric wheelchair when at any given moment. Only two wheelchairs can be in the building according to the safety guidelines. In addition, some areas in the Dungeon may not be accessible to wheelchair users. Feel free to contact the Dungeon to arrange your visit.
The Amsterdam Dungeon Location And Directions
Amsterdam is a small city with excellent public transport, which is also great news for anyone who wants to visit Dungeon. The Dungeon is located in a central area of Amsterdam, near Dam Square and the Madame Tussauds museum, with the exact address for users of Waze, Google Maps, and similar applications being Rokin 78 1012 KW.
Of course, you can also arrive on foot or by bicycle, thus feeling Dutch in the total sense of the word. The central location of the Dungeon explains why a significant percentage of the bus, tram, and metro lines stop pretty nearby.
The nearest stations are:
Rokin (metro) – lines number 52, 53 and 54
Spui (tram) – lines number 1, 2, 5, 13, 14 and 17
Dam (bus) – bus lines N70-N97
Car – in general, getting around by car in Amsterdam is not recommended due to the narrow streets, the confusing traffic laws, and the lack of parking. There are several parking lots nearby, but we recommend you choose something other than this.
Looking for more scary and recommended attractions in Amsterdam? Try the following list:
