Long before the arrival of cargo bikes and electric cars, Amsterdam had to take measures to keep unnecessary traffic out of the city centre. The ring of canals was constructed in the 17th century, and enclosed by a new city wall with five large gates and two small passages. 
A square was laid close to each gate, functioning as an entrance to the city. The Leidseplein, Haarlemmerplein and Weesperplein were assigned the function of ‘cart square’. 

These cart squares were the Park and Ride of their time. Large carts, carriages and mail coaches were too large for the narrow city streets, so they had to be parked there. There were stables for the horses, as well as wheelwrights, inns and smithies
on the square – a blacksmith could do excellent business there.

Greased rag

The farmers and merchants who came into the city through the Leidsepoort therefore stabled their horse and cart at Leidseplein, and carried out their business in the city on foot. Cargo brought in on large carts had to be transferred onto smaller carts. Nothing new there, actually!

Visitors coming to the city by carriage or stagecoach also had to continue their journey on foot. An alternative was to switch to the vehicle known as the ‘toeslede’ or ‘sleepkoets’ – a small carriage mounted on a sleigh and drawn by a single horse, with the coachman walking alongside. In dry weather, a greased rag was used to lubricate the runners so that the carriage could move forward. This means of transportation became very popular in the 18th century when the city council started to impose taxes on wheels.

Junction

Leidseplein gained a cultural function in 1774 with the establishment of the city theatre. There was ample space for this on the square. The original theatre burned down in 1892, and was replaced by the current theatre (architects J. Springer and A.L. van Gendt) in 1894.

Prior to this in 1863, the 17th-century Leidsepoort had been demolished and the city walls were also torn down. This rendered the function of wagon square within the city obsolete. However, Leidseplein remained significant as a traffic hub into the 20th century.