The navel of the Netherlands, the heart of Amsterdam: Dam Square is the national square of the Netherlands. It is home to the Royal Palace, the National Monument and the New Church. Since time immemorial, this square has been the chosen location for official events, celebrations, protests and commemorations. At the same time, Dam Square is a very unusual square, as its historical genesis shows. In fact, it is two squares, or a failed square. It also changed its appearance many times, as the many paintings and photographs show, some in 360-degree perspective. In the book De Dam, author Fred Feddes explains - using lots of visual material - how the square has been used since the thirteenth century, how it acquired its current appearance, and what remarkable events took place here (then and now).