The Amsterdam Gashouder - A brief history

The Gashouder is one of the most famous party locations in Amsterdam. Many events are organized here every year, attracting thousands of people. The Gashouder is located in the Westerpark, about a 10-minute walk from Coffeeshop Relax.

The Gashouder has not always functioned as an event location. As the name "Gas"houder, which means (natural) gas in Dutch, already gives away, the building was originally used as a storage facility for gas. In 1883, the gashouder was built due to the growing demand for gas in Amsterdam-West. It was part of a larger site, so there used to be several gas holders, purification plants, coal storage facilities and a water tower.

How is gas produced from coal?

You may wonder, how was gas produced then? That was done at the time by gasifying coke. By firing up coke (refined coal) to temperatures higher than 1300 degrees, the coke becomes so hot that it is converted into a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, also called town gas . The resulting gas supply had to be stored of course. This was what the gas holder was intended for.

At that time, little was known about the environment; for example, burning coke to extract natural gas was not very environmentally friendly, and the site was left polluted when it was closed in 1976.

What is the current function of the Gashouder?

In the nineties, the Westergasfabriek site was transformed into a large park: the Westerpark! Since then, the Westerpark has functioned as a place for events, art and culture. The area around the Gashouder is home to galleries, restaurants, well-known parties and creative businesses that attract many visitors. Nowadays, the Gashouder is a very popular location for large events, such as art exhibitions and music festivals. It offers an industrial atmosphere that is very popular with visitors. The Gashouder is also very sustainable; during the redevelopment of the site, the focus was on sustainability. In doing so, care was taken to preserve the historical value of the building.

If you want to know what events are planned for the future in the Gashouder, take a look at their website .