About 500 years ago the Waag, the impressive building in the middle of the Nieuwmarkt (new market square), was called the Sint Antoniespoort (St. Anthony’s Gate). The building was one of the three remaining city gates of Amsterdam, built in 1488. In 1614, a part of the Kloveniersburgwal was filled in in order to build the square Nieuwmarkt (New market). This meant that part of the gate disappeared underground. You can still go under the gate by boat. Besides markets, physical punishment and executions were carried out at the square. Every Saturday an organic farmer’s market is hold here.
