Those three X’s you see everywhere in Amsterdam — on street bollards, flags, the coat of arms, manhole covers, even tattooed on people’s arms — are not what most tourists think they are.
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They’re Saint Andrew’s crosses. Three of them arranged vertically on a red and black shield, officially adopted as Amsterdam’s coat of arms in the 15th century. The crosses reference Saint Andrew, patron saint of fishermen, which made sense for a city built on fishing and maritime trade.
Why Three X’s?
The exact origin is debated. The most common explanation is that they represent the three dangers that historically threatened Amsterdam: water (floods), fire (the city burned down multiple times, most devastatingly in 1421 and 1452), and plague (which killed thousands in recurring epidemics).
Another theory links them to the de Persijn family, early rulers of the Amstelland region, who used a similar cross pattern. The truth is probably some combination — heraldic symbols evolve over centuries and the original meaning gets layered with new ones.
Where You’ll See Them
Everywhere. The XXX appears on the city’s official flag (three white crosses on a red background with black stripes), on the street bollards (the small posts that line Amsterdam’s streets), on bridges, on the front of police cars, and on the Westertoren (the tower of the Westerkerk that Anne Frank could see from her hiding place).
The symbol has been enthusiastically adopted by Amsterdam’s marketing and souvenir industry. You’ll find it on t-shirts, mugs, keychains, and basically anything that can be stamped with a logo. The ambiguity with the other meaning of “XXX” is fully intentional in the souvenir shops near the Red Light District.
The Coat of Arms
The full coat of arms shows the three crosses topped with the Imperial Crown of Austria — granted by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I in 1489 as thanks for Amsterdam’s financial support. The crown replaced an earlier coronet and was the city’s way of showing off its imperial connections. You can see the full version on the Amsterdam Museum and various government buildings.
The motto at the bottom reads “Heldhaftig, Vastberaden, Barmhartig” — Heroic, Determined, Merciful. This was added in 1947, awarded by Queen Wilhelmina in recognition of the city’s resistance during World War II.