Skinny Bridge in Amsterdam

The Skinny bridge or "Magere brug" as the local Dutch people like to call it, is one of the most beautiful bridges in the entire city. It is believed that the bridge was named after the Mager Sisters and the name "Mager" means "skinny" in Dutch. These two sisters may have lived on opposite sides of the river here and are believed to have used the wooden bridge to visit each other. The more realistic possibility, however, is that the bridge is simply named for its narrow design. In fact, this bridge was, at one time, a lot more narrow than it is today. It was actually hard for two pedestrians to pass each other while crossing. After many years, the traffic along the Amstel slowly increased and eventually a wider bridge was built to replace the old one. Since that time, the word 'skinny' no longer really applies. It is, however, still one of the most beautiful bridges in Holland's capital city. There are wonderful arrays of fairy lights that romantically illuminate the Skinny Bridge after dark. It is also very popular with lovers and is a great subject for artists and photographers. The Skinny Bridge is an age-old tradition of Amsterdam that will forever live in the hearts of the Dutch people.