The Overtoomse Veld is a district of the Western Horticulture Cities situated in Amsterdam West. The name Overtoomse Veld has been derived from the territory towards the West of the Overtooms Area, next to the Overtoomse sluis (Overtoomse lock / sluice).

Until the construction of the western town extensions many garden companies were established over here, rendering the vegetable garden of Amsterdam.

History

Until the establishment of the town districts in 1990, the Overtoomse Veld existed of two areas: one from the period up to 1940, situated between the Kostverlorenvaart and the border of the city along the Orteliuskade – Postjeskade – Westlandgracht, and the second remaining from the period 1955 – 1970, which was accomplished towards the West.

After the annexation of the municipality Sloten in 1921, Mercatorplein (Mercator Square), Surinameplein (Surinam Square) and Hoofddorpplein (Main village square) were constructed.

The remaining garden territory was cleared in the years fifty, whereupon the current district Overtoomse Veld arose together with the Rembrandtpark.

Between the Heemstedestraat and the oude (old) Sloterweg the Westlandgracht district arose, which after 1962 partly determined a component of the Overtoomse Veld. Nowadays it is called the Delflandpleinbuurt.

In the Overtoomse Veld many streets have been named after Dutch painters of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. In the Delflandpleinbuurt the streets have been named after cities and villages deriving from the province Zuid-Holland (South Holland).

The district exists of a mixture of low, medium and high buildings. In the North the current Overtoomse Veld is limited by the Jan Evertsenstraat and in the South by the former Sloterweg. The Eastern border is formed by the Postjeswetering and Westlandgracht, and the western border by the Ringspoorbaan.

Since the institution of Amsterdam’s districts in 1990, the pre-war part towards the North of the Surinam Square and Mercatorplein determined part of the district De Baarsjes and the part next to the Hoofddorppleinbuurt became a component of the district Zuid (South), since 1998 Oud-Zuid.

In 1990 the post-war part of the district was changed into Slotervaart/Overtoomse Veld.