The Surinam Square is situated in Amsterdam West and was constructed in the years twenty, on the territory of the in 1921 annexed municipality Sloten.

Before that the municipality direction had already made plans for a new development area to the West of the Baarsjesweg and Sloterkade, but the plans were conducted in a modified way by the municipality Amsterdam, as a component of the plan West.

The Surinam Square has been named after the since 1975 independent Dutch colony, situated at the North coast of South America.

The streets around the district have also been called after terms of the Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles. At the square you can also visit the ‘Surinam monument’.

Since 1927 have had tram line 17, coming from the Hoofdweg, its terminus at this square. In 1962 the tram was extended and turned into an express tramline, running via the Cornelis Lelylaan to Osdorp. Between 1962 and 1971 tram line 27 had its terminus at the Surinam Square as well.

At some point in the past the tram 17 was shortened to the Surinam Square and the rest taken over by tram line 1, starting at the Overtoom, via the Surinam Square in the direction of Osdorp. In 1988, line 17 was extended to Osdorp.

The first bridge reaching the Surinamestraat over the Kostverlorenvaart was built in 1925 as a substitution for the old bridge at Overtoomse lock. In 1948, the Ophaalbrug was replaced by the Basculebrug, which is crossed by tramlines ever since.

Up to 1990 the Surinam Square was situated in the district Overtoomse Veld. With the institution of the districts De Baarsjes and Zuid, the Surinam square since then has been the border between the two of them. Since 1998 the living area Zuid is called Amsterdam Oud Zuid.