DK Travel : Amsterdam : Western Canal Ring : History & Culture

Anne Frank Huis

Recently enlarged, this thought-provoking museum encompasses theachterhuis , secret hideout of Anne Frank and her family, as well as background information on the plight of Amsterdam’s Jews and racial oppression.
Brouwersgracht

If you stand at the breezy junction of Brouwersgracht and Prinsengracht you will get terrific views in all directions, and a sense of the sea not far away. Today, Brouwersgracht, with its pretty bridges and picturesque houseboats, is a romantic delight, but a 17th-century brewery (brouwer ) worker would be astonished to find that the spout-gabled warehouses of this once reeking industrial canal had now been converted into the smartest of private housing – particularly fine examples of which you can see at Nos 188–194.
Haarlemmerbuurt

In recent times, the bustling streets of this stalwart residential neighbourhood have seen the arrival of all manner of shops, mixing bric-a-brac withhaute couture , New Age with funky furniture and specialist food with local groceries. On Haarlemmerstraat is Westindisch Huis, once the headquarters of the Dutch West India Company. To the west is Haarlemmerpoort, a gateway – now converted into flats – built in 1840 for the entry of William II. Beyond it lies peaceful Westerpark, and Westergasfabriek, former gasworks turned arts centre.
Huis met de Hoofden

An eye-catching extravaganza, the House with the Heads is named for the six heads on its elaborate step-gabled façade representing Classical gods – Apollo, Ceres, Mars, Minerva, Diana and Bacchus. Built in 1622 for a successful merchant, its Dutch Renaissance design is attributed to Hendrick de Keyser. Today it is occupied by the body in charge of Amsterdam’s public monuments. The ground floor has scarcely changed.
Jordaan

Quirky and characterful, with an intimate, easy-going atmosphere all its own, the Jordaan is a dense patch of small-scale streets and canals peppered with interesting shops and galleries, charminghofjes and inviting brown cafés. Bounded by Prinsengracht and Lijnbaansgracht to east and west, and Brouwersgracht and Looiersgracht to north and south, it was built for workers at the same time as the Grachtengordel.
Noordermarkt

By the entrance to the Noorderkerk, a stillflourishing Protestant church, a sculpture commemorates theJordaanoproer (Jordaan riot) of 1934, in which seven people died during demonstrations against cuts in unemployment benefits. Today the tranquil surrounding square, a market site since 1627, comes to life during the Monday flea market and the Saturday bird market andboerenmarkt , selling organic produce.
Theatermuseum

Two fine buildings house the Theatermuseum. Its entrance is at No. 168, the austere Neo-Classical White House designed in 1638 by Philips Vingboons and topped by Amsterdam’s earliest neck gable. The museum extends into Nos 170–72, known as Bartolotti House, designed by Hendrick de Keyser in 1617 with a contrastingly flamboyant Renaissance façade, its curved appearance cleverly reflecting the canal bend on which it stands. The frothy 18th-century stuccoed and painted interior of the White House is worth the visit alone.
Westerkerk

An exacting climb to the top of the soaring tower of Westerkerk, a landmark close to the heart of every Amsterdammer, rewards you with a thrilling view (see Westerkerk Tower). Designed by Hendrick de Keyser and completed in 1631, its austere interior is unadorned, except for the ornate organ and its lively painted shutters. A memorial to Rembrandt reminds us that he was buried here, although the precise burial site is unknown. Outside the church, notice the poignant, diminutive statue of Anne Frank and Homomonument, the pink granite triangle which commemorates persecuted homosexuals.
Western Islands

Despite being very much part of the city, the man-made Western Islands have a remote, bracing quality. Comprising Bickerseiland, Prinseneiland and Realeneiland, they were created in the early 17th century to accommmodate shipyards and warehouses. In recent years, large-scale development has taken place, and modern housing now co-exists in harmony with white wooden drawbridges. Don’t miss Zandhoek on Realeneiland, with its row of charming 17th-century houses, or atmospheric Prinseneiland with its boatyard and old shuttered warehouses.
Zon’s and De Star Hofjes

These two delightfulhofjes are close to one another on Prinsengracht. At Zon’s Hofje, a stone plaque depicting Noah’s Ark is a clue that it was built on the site of a clandestine church known by that name. The De Star – officially Van Brienen – Hofje is named after a brewery that stood on this site. Merchant Jan Van Brienen is said to have built it in gratitude for his release from a vault in which he had accidently been locked.