Wander inside the English Reformed church today and you can expect to find several pulpit panels designed by Piet Mondrian, among other treasures. The famous canals of Amsterdam can be divided into two equally awe-inspiring categories. The Tropenmuseum, anthropological museum. Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive offers, discounts and the best in food and travel advice across Europe. Though not as much of a hidden gem of Amsterdam as just a few years ago, this courtyard is populated by plenty of historic almshouses as well as an English Reformed Church and the Catholic Houten Huys. However, if you’re looking for an oasis of calm in the centre of the city, you can still hide away in some of the most beautiful Hofjes in Amsterdam, which are largely to be found in the Jordaan district of the city. Required fields are marked *. The fires of 1452. Sophie Nadeau loves dogs, books, Paris, pizza, and history, though not necessarily in that order. Visiting Amsterdam for a few days and looking for a hotel near Amsterdam coffeeshops? The Dutch joke that you can experience 4 seasons in one day, and they’re justified! The workplace and storage for the merchants would be downstairs, while their residential quarters would be up a series of steps. Each room has an open-plan layout and includes a flat-screen TV, minibar and work desk.The Amsterdam Tulip Museum and Anne Frank House are less than a 5-minute walk from Canal House. The canal houses on Leidsegracht are among Amsterdam's most beautiful, with their neck gables leaning over tree-lined streets and brick walls. The history of this hofje traces its roots back to 1797 when a local merchant, Arnaut van Brienen, bought a house, storehouse, and brewery named the star so as to demolish the complex and transform it into a hofje. The elevated steps helped to protect the residence from potential flooding. Mid-Range Hotels: A ten-minute walk to Amsterdam Central Railway Station, the pet-friendly boutique Hotel Sebastian's has chic rooms that echo the dramatic style of its luxury sister property, The Toren. Many of the buildings here were designed by Daniël Stalpaert, a renowned 17th-century architect who is best-known for his work designing the Royal Palace and the Oosterkerk. Last Updated on 2nd May 2019 by Sophie Nadeau. Want to get a great glimpse of what life was like behind the façade? In existence since the middle ages, the Dutch word ‘hofje’ is used to denote courtyards surrounded by almshouses. The Museum Van Loon, on the other hand, offers a fantastic slice of what life was like on the canals for the wealthiest and most influential citizens of the Amsterdam. Filled with cherry blossom and just streets away from the ever-so-famous Westerkerk (i.e. Though many of the houses appear ancient, the hofje actually underwent extensive renovations in the 1960s, resulting in many of the houses being practically rebuilt. Tucked away down a little side street, the Karthuizerhofje is one of the larger Amsterdam hofjes that’s actually open to the public. This was when the city of Amsterdam grew and expanded beyond the canal. Those governing the city at the time decided to expand it by building 3 massive canals around the town: the Herengracht (gentlemen’s canal), Keizersgracht (knights’ canal) and Prinsengracht (princes’ canal). For those who wish to escape the crowds of the Rijksmuseum and get away from the mass of people who flock to the gingerbread houses of Damrak on a daily basis, the hofjes of Amsterdam are secret, obscure, and hidden courtyards that are filled with greenery and dotted throughout the city. During the early part of the 1600s, Amsterdam was in the throes of its Golden Age, and the town was expanding faster than it could keep up. For sale; renovated canal house in the heart of the city of Amsterdam. Considering that Amsterdam is almost 1000 years old, it comes as little surprise that the city is teeming with history. Privately funded, much of the time these residences were once built to serve those most in need, and for the most part, older women. All Rights Reserved. Many of the houses also hide little alleyways and gardens behind them that add to the romance as well. The Hermitage Amsterdam, a dependency of the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. This spot on the Herengracht feels like a Dutch Downton Abbey as it is home to gilded ballrooms, parlors, and a French-inspired garden that is worth the price of admission alone. Nearby, the protestant Noorderkerk dates back to the 17th-century. During the 19th-century the space was used to house up to twenty couples and six men. This post may contain affiliate links. Free to enter, we had this hidden gem all to ourselves when we wandered around mid-week during the late afternoon. www.prinsengracht-te-koop.nl Alongside wooden clogs, windmills, and tulips, the Amsterdam Canals spring to mind when anyone mentions Holland.A canal cruise along the Amsterdam Canals is undoubtedly the number one attraction and for first time visitors like me, a canal cruise is a great introduction to the city. 90 (Oudezijds Voorburgwal 88) was the first coffee shop in Amsterdam and laid the benchmark for the existing coffee shops in Amsterdam. The NEMO, the science museum in a building that looks like a sinking ship. For the past five years, I've been writing about the weird and wonderful on this travel and culture blog, with a particular focus on history, hidden gems, and offbeat adventures in Europe and beyond. It is decorated with Delft pottery and Dutch trinkets and antique teapots hanging from the ceiling that you can admire while you feast on the fluffy, flavoursome pancakes. Reguliersgracht was named after an order of monks whose monastery was located nearby. By the late 18th-century, the area had been transformed into housing for Mennonite women who were aged fifty or over. The building now houses the underwhelming University of Amsterdam Museum. Located in the heart of the Jordaan, the cultural centre of Amsterdam, Canal House is situated on the Keizersgracht (the King's Canal) and is comprised of three seventeenth century merchants' houses. The intricate network of canals in Amsterdam’s city centre also serves as a unique residential area. The Gouden Bocht or Golden Curve, the section of Herengracht between Leidsestraat and Vijzelstraat, boasts the most beautiful canal houses in Amsterdam. The city of Amsterdam is built entirely on reclaimed swamp land, a characteristic that has defined its shape, purpose and the look of its canal houses. Steps away from the Anne Frank House, The Toren is a family-run, boutique hotel in two historic canal houses, with individually decorated rooms and suites. Amsterdam's canals are one of the best things about the city. These waterways provided good drainage and prevented Amsterdam from flooding. Our Great Room is a beautiful spot to enjoy a leisurely afternoon relaxing, with views over the private garden. Eat Like a Local through Amsterdam's Jordaan neighbourhood. From the dancing houses to the grand museums, the city has plenty of must-see attractions and can’t miss destinations. Once constructed, these new Amsterdam canal houses became the homes for an emerging merchant, artist, and political class, who wanted to show their new wealth off not only to each other but to the rest of the world. Keizersgracht 672 020 624 5255 museumvanloon.nl Open Wed – Mon 11 am – 5 pm. The bridge on the corner of Reguliersgracht and Herengracht offers an exquisite view. Some of the best vantage points include looking north to see the back side and towering steeples of De Krijtberg church and looking west at the intersection of big canal Keizersgracht. Here's your guide on where to find 12 of the best canal hotels. Keep all this in mind next time you walk along our canals and you will be amazed at how much is still evident today. Amsterdam Central Train Station is less than a 15-minute walk away. ... Another museum that Amsterdam is famous for, the Van Gogh Museum is a must-see when in Amsterdam. On the whole, what makes Amsterdam canal houses so special is their combination of skinny profile, grand gables, and architectural quirkiness that you just simply aren’t going to see anywhere else in the world. 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