Across from city hall stands the Netherlands' most famous traffic light: the only one showing a woman crossing the street instead of the standard male silhouette. Named Sofie by locals, she appeared anonymously in 2000 and became an unofficial symbol of the city. Compare her confident stride to the generic figures at any other Dutch crossing and you will have to admit she looks more inspiring.
Sofie the Traffic Light
The Netherlands' only female traffic light figure
A story
One morning in December 2000, the traffic light outside city hall showed a woman instead of the usual male figure. Nobody knew who put her there. The city council decided she could stay, and Sofie — as she came to be known — has since been installed at every intersection between the station and the city centre.