The city of Amsterdam hides very good examples of urban fossils on building walls and the pavements of streets and squares. As Annemieke van Roekel describes in her book «Discover Fossils in Downtown Amsterdam», the Carboniferous limestone known as "bluestone" has been used for centuries as a construction stone on pavements, façades, staircases, windowsills, etc. Since this rock is very rich in marine fauna, you can find interesting urban fossils on a walk through the city's historic centre.

Brachiopod (left) and coral colony (right) on the pavement of a sidewalk

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