Black and White Photos Capture Street Scenes of Amsterdam in the 1970s

Throughout the 1970s, Amsterdam experienced rapid development. To reduce the use of automobiles, city planners have favored public transportation. Trams remain the primary transportation mode in inner Amsterdam, while buses play a critical role in outer districts. A high-speed metro line opened in 1976, and a new fast rail line to Schiphol was opened in 1988.

The cultural revolution of the 1970s made Amsterdam the magisch centrum (magical centre) of Europe. A tolerant attitude toward soft drugs made the city a favorite haunt of hippies. There were many radical movements in the 1970s, some highly political and rigidly structured, but many played out in street theatre, satirical and playful.

These black and white photos were taken by pszz that show what Amsterdam looked like in the 1970s.