 The Stadsschouwburg on Leidseplein | |
  Location within Amsterdam | |
| Namesake | Leiden |
|---|---|
| Location | Centrum, Amsterdam, Netherlands |
Nearest metro station | Vijzelgracht |
| Coordinates | 52°21′51″N 4°52′59″E / 52.364242°N 4.882978°E |
Leidseplein (English: Leiden Square) is a square in central Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is in the Weteringschans neighbourhood (Centrum borough), immediately northeast of the Singelgracht. It is located on the crossroads of the Weteringschans, Marnixstraat and Leidsestraat.
Leidseplein is one of the busiest centres for nightlife in the city. Historically, the square was the end of the road from Leiden; it served as a parking lot for horse-drawn traffic. Today, modern traffic travels through the square, and its side streets are packed with restaurants and nightclubs. The Stadsschouwburg, a nationally renowned theatre, is the most notable architectural landmark on the square; the American Hotel is close by.
Leidseplein is approximately 250 m (270 yd) from where well-known crime reporter Peter R. de Vries, a key figure in the Marengo trial coverage, was murdered in July 2021.
On 22 February 2022, a 27-year-old gunman took multiple persons hostage inside an Apple Store in Leidseplein. After a forced breach of the store by Dutch police, all the hostages were safely rescued. However, as a result of the intervention, the hostage-taker was killed. The 2025 Dutch film iHostage dramatises the incident.
