Koningsdag 2020

During the first Covid lockdown, Amsterdam was eerily quiet. The canals, normally packed with tourists and party boats, were empty. Even on Koningsdag — the biggest celebration of the year — the city felt like a ghost town.

Normally on April 27th, the entire city turns orange. Streets overflow with people in ridiculous outfits, music blares from every corner, and the canals jam with party boats. This year, nothing.

Streets that should be impassable with crowds stand completely empty. Bikes rest undisturbed. Shop windows are dark. The silence feels unnatural in a city that never stops.

Cafes shuttered, museums closed, theaters dark. Signs in windows apologize for the inconvenience. The city that thrives on culture and nightlife sits in lockdown.

It was a beautiful, sunny day, irresistible enough to draw people outdoors. It felt almost surreal: neighbors and strangers carefully orbiting one another at the mandated 1.5-meter distance. Along the sidewalks, police patrolled with quiet vigilance.

Amsterdam waits. The city holds its breath. Koningsdag will return next year, louder and more chaotic than ever. But today, this historic silence.