What major river runs through Amsterdam?

The Amstel  is a river in the Netherlands which runs through the city of Amsterdam. The river's name is derived from Aeme-stelle, old Dutch for "water-area", namely, an area abounding with water.

Amstel beer is named after the river. The Amstel brewery, as many other breweries, was situated close to the Amstel river because river water was used to produce the beer.

Amsterdam took its name from the river. The city developed from a small fishing village named Amstelredam, built during the 13th century alongside a dam at the mouth of the river. The town was granted city rights about 1300. The hamlet developed into the small town Amsteldam, which later became Amsterdam.

The river originally began where two smaller rivers, the Drecht and Kromme Mijdrecht, joined together, a little south of Uithoorn. After the construction of a canal, the Amstel-Drecht Kanaal, the river (including the canal) now begins where the Drecht and another canal, the Aarkanaal, meet one another, near the town of Nieuwveen. Tributary rivers are the Kromme Mijdrecht, Bullewijk and Waver.