Gashouder
Stand inside the Gashouder and the first thing you notice is the silence of the ceiling — there isn't one, just a vast open drum of iron and brick rising 14.5 metres above you, uninterrupted by a single pillar. That engineering choice, radical in 1902, is what makes the space feel like nowhere else in Amsterdam today.
Built to store purified coal gas before it moved through the city's pipes, the cylindrical structure at Klönneplein 1 held up to 100,000 cubic metres at a time. Now it holds crowds — up to 3,500 of them — for concerts, club nights, and events that lean hard into the acoustics that the original builders never intended but somehow delivered.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who've caught a show here tend to mention the same thing: wherever you stand, the sound wraps around rather than hits you. Arrive early enough to walk the perimeter before the crowd fills it — the scale only registers when the floor is still mostly empty. Check the Westergas programme well ahead; the bigger nights sell out fast.
The story behind Gashouder
The Westergasfabriek opened in 1885 as the largest gas extraction plant in the Netherlands, its buildings designed by Amsterdam architect Isaac Gosschalk in the Dutch Neo-Renaissance style — a contemporary of Pierre Cuypers and Dolf van Gendt. The Gashouder itself came later, completed in 1902 as a storage vessel for the purified coal gas the factory produced. It kept the city lit and heated until the late 1950s, when production wound down, and the entire works closed in 1967 after natural gas was discovered.
The buildings were listed as national monuments in 1989. After the municipal utility GEB vacated in 1992, the District Council of Westerpark took over, and American landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson remodelled the grounds. The site reopened as Culture Park Westergasfabriek in 2003 — rebranded Westergas in 2018 — with seventeen historic structures repurposed for creative and cultural use.
Good to know
Tram 5 drops you at Haarlemmerplein, a short walk east of the site; buses 15, 21 and 22 also stop nearby. The complex is car-light, so cycling in is straightforward with ample bike parking on site. Visiting hours depend entirely on what's programmed — check before you go and book tickets in advance for anything ticketed.
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What travellers say about Gashouder
I have been here a few times for shows. It is especially popular during ADE annually. In terms of venues, it has to be one of the top experiences in the world. It’s spacious and has great lighting and sound. There are even occasional fireworks displays inside. For a unique experience, I’d definitely recommend everyone come at least once
It’s an amazing experience going into this event! I went to Awakenings and I really liked the environment , so grateful and people so nice! Beers were 5x 20€ Also, there are some lockers but they are little, just a little backpack or handbag would fit into it. Lockers 10€ Just to let you guys know :-) Hopefully I’ll see you again Gashouder 🫂
My goodness, you Dutchies are fortunate to have this place as a venue for loud music and dancing. Took my breath away the moment I walked into the arena, with the scale of the place and the quality of the sound. I've been raving for nearly forty years now, and this venue goes down as one of my favourites over that time. The conversion from its previous purpose to what it is now is a marvel, and has been beautifully executed as the structure is a beauty of engineering and the repurposing to this extent, presumably meant that it didn't end up getting demolished.
Gashouder Westergasfabriek offers an exceptional setting for festivals, and it was perfect for the Awakenings event I attended with a friend. The venue itself is impressive, but what really sets it apart is the extraordinary service from the friendly staff. I was particularly struck by their innovative sustainability efforts. They have a unique system where you can exchange used cups and bottles for tokens, which you can then use to buy more drinks. This not only keeps the place tidy but also encourages a fantastic recycling habit among attendees. This initiative is a brilliant example of how venues can promote environmental responsibility while enhancing the festival experience. I believe clubs and event spaces worldwide should consider adopting a similar system. Visiting Gashouder Westergasfabriek is highly recommended for a thoughtfully organized, memorable event experience!
The best event venue you could wish for! We were there for ADE. There are lockers you can rent for your things and easy to bike there from the city center.
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