There's a surprise waiting in Kleine Gartmanplantsoen park: 40 huge, lifelike lizards nestled in the grass and sunning themselves on the brickwork. It's a surreal sight. Cast in bronze, the life-sized reptiles were created by Dutch artist Hans van Houwelingen in 1994. At the time of research, Blauw Jan has been removed from the park due to the construction of underground parking. The park is expected to reopen in late 2019, although it's unclear if Blauw Jan will be returned to its former place.
The statues are collectively known as Blauw Jan, after an old Amsterdam inn of the same name which, in the 17th and 18th centuries, had a menagerie of exotic animals brought to the port city from faraway lands.
