De Munttoren, Munt Tower or Mint Tower, is the former home of the Dutch mint and has had various incarnations over it's six hundred years history.
It originally started as part of the City Wall, which encircled Amsterdam. It has also been rebuilt several times, too. The most recent improvements, were over three hundred years ago by Hendrick de Keyser.
But it was only out of necessity, that it became to be used as a mint. It was during the third Anglo-Dutch War (1672), that gold and silver couldn't be moved to the Dutch mints in Dordrecht and Enkhuizen, so....
The clock tower is beautiful and is approximately 130 feet tall. There is also a small gift shop attached to it. Btw, the Munttoren area is sort of like the Times Square of Amsterdam, but without the NYE's ball dropping. read more