Page 117 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

C ANAL RING  115

to Pieter de Keyser (1595–1676), 7 Brouwersgracht
son of Hendrick de Keyser. Huis Map 1 B2. v 3.
met de Hoofden, which has
housed a business school, a Brouwersgracht (brewers’
conservatoire and the Bureau canal) was named after the
Monumenten en Archeologie, breweries established here in
has been bought by JR Ritman, the 17th and 18th centuries.
owner of the Bibliotheca Leather, spices, coffee and
Philosophica Hermetica. Stone plaque on the hofje founded in sugar were also processed
1616 by the merchant Anslo and stored here. Today, most
5 Noorderkerk and 6 Haarlemmerpoort of the warehouses, with their
spout gables and shutters,
Noordermarkt are residences that look out
Haarlemmerplein 50. Map 1 B1. v 3.
Noordermarkt 44–48. Map 1 C3. Closed to the public. on moored houseboats.
Tel 020-6266436. v 3, 10, 13,
14, 17. Church: Open 10:30am– Originally a defended gateway 8 Western Islands
12:30pm Mon, 11am–1pm Sat. 5 into Amsterdam, the
10am & 7pm Sun. General market: Haarlemmerpoort marked the Map 1 C1. v 3.
Open 9am–1pm Mon; Boerenmarkt: beginning of the busy route to
Open 9am–5pm Sat. Haarlem. The present gateway, This district comprises three
dating from 1840, was built for islands built on the IJ in
Built for poor settlers in the King William II’s triumphal entry the early 1600s to quarter
Jordaan, the North Church was into the city and named warehouses and shipyards.
the first in Amsterdam to be Willemspoort. However, as the Some of these are still in use
constructed in the shape of a third gateway to be built on or and many period houses
Greek cross. Its layout around close to this site, it is still called have survived.
a central pulpit allowed the the Haarlemmerpoort by Merchant and developer Jan
congregation seated in the Amsterdammers. Bicker bought Bickerseiland in
encircling pews to see and Designed by Cornelis Alewijn 1631. Today, the island is a mix
hear well. (1788–1839), the Neo-Classical of colourful apartment blocks
The church, designed by gatehouse was used as tax offices and a jumble of houseboats.
Hendrick de Keyser, was in the 19th century and was made Realeneiland has the
completed in 1623, in time into flats in 1986. Traffic no pretty waterside street of
to hold its inaugural service at longer goes through the gate, Zandhoek. A row of pretty
Easter. It is still well attended since a bridge has been built 17th-century houses built
by a Calvinist congregation. By over the adjoining Westerkanaal. by the island’s founder,
the entrance is a sculpture of In 2016, it was decided to Jacobsz Reaal, overlooks
three bound figures, inscribed: turn the ground floor of the the moored sailboats.
“Unity is Strength”. It com- building into an restaurant and Prinseneiland is dominated
memorates the Jordaan Riot café, despite huge protests by by characterful warehouses,
of 1934. On the south façade, the locals. many now apartments.
a plaque recalls the 1941
February Strike, protesting the
Nazis’ deportation of Jews. Dutch Hofjes
Since 1627, the square that Before the Alteration, the
surrounds the Noorderkerk Catholic Church often provided
has been a market site. At that subsidized housing for the
time, it sold pots and pans and poor and elderly, particularly
vodden (old clothes), a tradition women. During the 17th and
that continues today with a 18th centuries, rich merchants
flea market. Since the 18th and Protestant organizations
century, the area has been a took on this charitable role and
centre for bed shops. Bedding, built hundreds of alms house
curtains and fabrics are still complexes, which were planned
sold on Monday morning along around courtyards and known as
the Westerstraat; you can buy hofjes. Behind their street façades
anything from net curtain lie pretty houses and serene
material to buttons, as well as gardens. Visitors are admitted
vinyl records, vintage clothing to some but asked to respect
and other second-hand items. the residents’ privacy. Many
At 9am on Saturdays, the hugely hofjes are found in the Jordaan
popular boerenmarkt takes over, The “house with the writing hand” and some still serve their
selling health foods, ethnic (c.1630) in Claes Claeszhofje original purpose.
crafts and candles.

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