Amsterdam Architecture

Venice of the North

With 7,000 registered historic buildings standing as testimony to its rich architectural heritage, Amsterdam is known as one of Europe’s premier architecture and design cities. Being one of the finest planned cities in northern Europe, it is a haven for architectural connoisseurs. The city has also been recognized for its contribution in the organic development of modern architecture.

Fondly referred to as the ‘Venice of the North’, Amsterdam’s center comprises of about 90 islands, all connected via 400 bridges that make for a breathtaking site when lit up at night. Due to this, most of the sites of interest in Amsterdam are within a reasonable distance. The street patterns of this remarkable city remain largely intact since the 19th century, as it was spared from major bombing during the Second World War. Visitors can see modern architectural structures peering through the facades of historical buildings when strolling or cycling through its streets.

Older Architecture and Canal Rings

The Canal Rings are one of the most prominent features of Amsterdam’s architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Listed site. They are essentially a concentric ring of canals built during the 17th century and have since been the icons of urban planning and architecture. The concentric rings were extended outward to accommodate the growing needs of the city as well as drain the swampland.

These Canal Rings were lined by the residences of wealthy merchants, craftsmen, brewers, trades people, financiers, lawyers, doctors, politicians and artists along with numerous monuments. These houses are characteristically very narrow, almost 9 meters in width, have tall narrow windows, extremely narrow, winding stairs, are adorned by gable tops and plaques and have a pulley outside to transfer larger objects to the upper floors. These houses typically have real depth in spite of minimal frontage, and even though the rooms are small, their interiors are pretty grand complete with ornate ceilings and fireplaces. The narrowest house in the world is the Singel number 7, which is only one meter wide.

Due to the swamp-like conditions of the land reclaimed under the city, the houses had to be built upon stilts driven into the ground before construction. These stilts are now rotting due to the wet conditions, as a result of which houses are tilting and sinking into the earth. This is why it is rare to see an entire block in alignment adding to Amsterdam’s quirky character. Most buildings have had their supports replaced over the centuries.

Architecture and Religion

As Amsterdam has been relatively tolerant towards other cultures and religions, the city features prominent churches and synagogues. One of the most outstanding synagogues of the city remains The Esnoga or The Portuguese Synagogue, which was built in 1675 in an austere Classicist style exemplary of the 18th century.

The most notable protestant churches in the city include the Oude Kerk, the oldest of the five main churches situated in the Red Light District; Nieuwe Kerk, built in 1350, situated on Dam Square and used for royal coronations; and Zuiderkerk located between Nieuwmarkt, University District and the Jewish Quarter. The hidden churches of Amsterdam are also a must-see. These were built during the Reformation, of which the Amstelkring Museum is still the most visited.

Impressive Buildings and Structures

The grandeur of architecture in the city of Amsterdam is reflected in its impressive structures and buildings. The most notable are the Rijks Museum, Central Station, Magna Plaza, the Koninklijk Palace (Royal Palace) and large warehouses that were built for specific uses such as the Scheepvaartmuseum (Maritime Museum).

To gain a holistic view of the architecture in Amsterdam, the windmills and other notable museums call for a visit. While the best windmill to visit would be the De Gooyer, which is also used as the Brouwerij ’t IJ (brewery); the Van Gogh Museum and the Hermitage are other epic sites. Other impressive architectural achievements are the Stopera and Beurs van Berlage.

Bridges have been an integral part of Amsterdam’s infrastructure, with a majority being drawbridges to allow bigger boats to pass through the canals. As one goes from the center to the outskirts, they will notice that the bridges get more modern, with the oldest being in the interiors. The most famous bridge in Amsterdam is the Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge) on the River Amstel a short walk from Rembrandtplein and Waterlooplein Flea Market.

Post World War I Architecture

Post World War I, Amsterdam witnessed an architectural movement that came about from the works of The Amsterdam School part of the government’s directive to create living spaces for all social classes. These works made such an impact on the architectural landscape outside of the central old city and canal rings and their imprints are still very much visible.

The huge housing projects initiated for the replacement of slums and expansion of the city featured larger floor plans, balconies overlooking central gardens, elaborate original styles, light and airy apartments as well as oddly angled windows or busts to equip them with an air of uniqueness.

Modern Architecture

Though modern architecture remains under-represented in the central part of the city, the large new neighborhoods of the outer districts in the western, southeastern, and northern parts of the city, offer some fine examples. If you head to the business district of the World Trade Centre in the south of Amsterdam you have an interesting variety of modern office buildings, with peculiar shapes and angles. The WTC won a RIBA Award from the Royal Institute of British Architects for exemplary architecture.

Not far from the WTC is Amstelveen where you can visit the Cobra Museum of Modern Art, which itself is a spacious and open example of minimalistic design. Another neighborhood with more modern architecture is IJburg in the east of Amsterdam, where different architects worked on individual house taking a futuristic approach with a view to cater to the upper-middle class families with its modern apartment buildings and houses, spacious rooms, coupled with big windows and surrounded by water. For more information on modern architecture you can visit the ARCAM (Amsterdam Centre for Architecture).

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