The growing size of luxury cruise liners and the steadily increasing number of such vessels calling at Amsterdam led to a decision to build a new facility, the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, at 9 Oostlijke Handelskade, just east of Central Station.

It has room for 2.500 passengers in a building occupying 35.000 sq. metres, and facilities include a convention centre, boardrooms, restaurants, banks and shops. The terminal’s office opening in 2000 coincided with Sail Amsterdam, the city’s week-long maritime festival held every five years.

In an area that is being redeveloped at breakneck speed, one of the most interesting new buildings springing up is the Muziekgebouw (Music Building), at 1 Piet Heinkade, on the westernmost tip of the waterside peninsula just east of Central Station.

Under construction at the time of writing and due to open early in 2005, the Muziekgebouw will complement the classical-music emphasis of the Concertgebouw by focusing on modern music. Two music operations that are due to move here from their present bases are the Bimhuis jazz club and De IJsbreker experimental music club. There will also be visiting musicians from around the world.