What should you see in the Jordaan?

West-Indisch Huis (West-India House)

The West-Indisch Huis was the headquarters of the Dutch West Indies Company. It was here that the historic decision was made to establish a trading post on the River Hudson in 1624. This post was to be called “New Amsterdam”, and later it became greater New York.

It was also in this house that the famous Spanish treasure of the admiral Piet Heyn was stored. In the courtyard there is a statue of the first commander of New Amsterdam, Pieter Stuyvesant, who was governor of Nieuw Amsterdam from 1647 until the British took over in 1664.

The West-Indisch Huis is in use as office space and a venue for conferences, weddings and other events. You’ll find it on Herenmarkt, a small square between Haarlemmerstraat and Brouwersgracht, in the center of Amsterdam. Address: Herenmarkt 99 (Google Maps).

Noorderkerk (Northern Church)

The Noorderkerk (Northern Church) is a 17th century Protestant church that was erected by the architect Hendrick de Keyser and his son Pieter. In 1620 an important decision was made: the northern part of the Jordaan area was to have a church of its own.

The Westerkerk proved to be too far away in more sense than one. The Noorderkerk became the church for the common people, while the Westerkerk was used mainly by the middle and upper classes. From its imposing brick façade to its octagonal floor plan, the church stands out as a symbol of the changes being made to the Christian faith in the Renaissance.

The church is still a central hub of life in Amsterdam, as it is used for church services, debates and even Saturday concerts. The Noorderkerk is located along Prinsengracht on the Noordermarkt. Address: Noordermarkt 44 (Google Maps).

Noordermarkt (Northern Market)

Noordermarkt (Northern Market) is one of the most attractive markets in Amsterdam. In this historical marketplace the past meets the present. Some 350 years ago you could have seen famous painter Rembrandt van Rijn strolling around here. Address: Google Maps

TIP: On Mondays antiques and second-hand clothes are sold for a bargain. On Saturdays there is an organic, fresh-food market with top-quality vegetables, fruit, dairy products, bread, delicacies and flowers for sale. During World War II, the organizers of the February Strike of 1941, to protest deportations of Jews by the Nazis, held their first public meetings on Noordermarkt.

Take 13 or 17 exit Westermarkt. From Amsterdam Central Station it is a 15 minutes’ walk.

Alms-houses in the “Jordaan”

In the Jordaan you will find courtyards of alms-houses (“Hofjes”). These courtyards are like precious little diamonds, because their intimate charm and privacy are waiting to be discovered. These courtyards were built by rich people for elderly women as a kind of charity. Some of the restored courtyards are open to the public, but they are pretty difficult to find. “Hofjes” lie hidden behind doors that look like the front doors of ordinary canal houses.

The Jordaan has a high concentration of hofjes. A fine example of one of these courtyards, and one of the largest in Amsterdam, is the Karthuizerhof  (Google Maps) at Karthuizersstraat 89-171 in the Jordaan.

It was built in 1650 and listed on the inside of the gate are the names of charitable donors who made it possible for the city to build the alms-house. Sint Andrieshofje (Google Maps), founded in 1614, is the oldest hofje in Amsterdam after the Begijnhof (Google Maps).

You can find the Sint Andrieshofje at Egelantiersgracht 105-141. During the summer some of these yards are open on Sundays with free concerts known as ‘hofjesconcerten’.

Tulip Museum

The tulip was introduced in the Netherlands in the middle of the 16th century (around 1550) from the Ottoman Empire and it immediately became very popular among the upper classes. Amsterdam at this time was in the Dutch Golden Age and contract prices for the recently introduced tulip reached extraordinarily high levels.

At the peak in March 1637, some single tulip bulbs sold for more than 10 times the annual income of a skilled craftsman. What became known as the tulip mania is generally considered the first recorded speculative bubble. Visitors are invited in the Tulip Museum to learn the history of the world’s most famous flower.

This small museum is a must for people interested in gardening, f lowers and of course the history of the tulip mania in the Netherlands. Address: Prinsengracht 116 (Google Maps), www.amsterdamtulipmuseum.com, open/ prices: See website.

Houseboat Museum

Visitors can see for themselves what it’s like to live on a houseboat in Amsterdam. The Houseboat Museum is situated on the “Hendrika Maria”, a former freighter, built in 1914. Its unique location on the Prinsengracht canal on the edge of the Jordaan provides a fitting background for the museum vessel.

Address: Prinsengracht 296K (Google Maps), www.houseboatmuseum.nl, open/prices: See website.

Bloemgracht

When you are in the Jordaan, don’t forget the Bloemgracht. Bloemgracht means “flower canal”. This picturesque canal is one of the most beautiful canals in Amsterdam. Bloemgracht is a side-canal off Prinsengracht and built during the 17th century, Amsterdam’s golden ages.

As you continue eastwards along Bloemgracht, take note of the plaques above several of the houses’ doors. These often include a construction date and a hint about the building’s purpose. Address: Google Maps

Did you know on the Bloemgracht?
– Rembrandt van Rijn had his studio.

Tot heil des Volks

The Jordaan district: a history of poverty. Throughout the 19th century, this neighbourhood was intensely overcrowded with mostly extremely impoverished residents. This stimulated the Reverend Jan de Liefde to establish the Tot Heil des Volks foundation in 1855, which included nursery schools.

The foundation is one of the oldest Christian organisations in the Netherlands still dedicated to helping children in poverty, the addicted, prostitutes and the homeless.

One of the original schools can still be seen at Willemsstraat 33 (Google Maps); the ‘Crafted Stories’ shop at Noordermarkt 45 square offers work experience and internships to people who experience challenges entering the job market. www.thdv.nl