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Canal Ring
Amsterdam has many canals with untold numbers of canal houses, you don't know where to look. And usually you hardly ever do, you just soak up the atmosphere of the canals, and that's it. This tour puts an end to that. We talk about the exceptionally interesting development of the belt, describe a series of special or valuable canal houses, recount the stylistic developments over the years. From now on, you will always look at facades differently...
Some 400 years ago, the ring of canals was easily the most impressive urban extension in the world. Constructed “for the use”, “for the ornament” or “for the benefit” of the city. It consisted of four semi-circles, extending over 160 hectares, a huge area, even by today's standards. The extension counted 25 km along quays. It was a combination of a grid city and a fortified city. The grid created an ideal living environment; the circle a perfect fortress. Trees were planted along the canals - not to be found in Venice - which contribute extremely to the atmosphere.
Why such an enormous urban expansion? Why the famous geometric shape, the so-called planarity? No other city in Europe was experiencing relative population growth anywhere near that of Amsterdam. Something had to be done. Unfortunately, the archives on the Grote Uitleg have been lost, probably stupidly destroyed, due to lack of space. In any case, planfulness was not an artistic choice; the ring of canals was never built as a “total work of art”, but “with the corste linie ende de minste coste”. And there are quite a few things to be said about the execution
Further details
Guided tour by appointment for small or large groups.
Price: € 25 per person. VAT is added for companies and institutions.
Small groups pay slightly more per person.
Duration: approximately 2 hours