Jordaan & Western Canals - Amsterdam - page 84

Understand
Canals
History
In Dutch a canal is a gracht (pronounced ' khrakht '), and the main canals form the central grachtengordel (canal
ring). The beauties came to life in the early 1600s, after Amsterdam's population grew beyond its medieval walls,
and city planners put together an ambitious design for expansion. Far from being simply decorative or pictur-
esque, or even just waterways for transport, the canals were necessary to drain and reclaim the waterlogged land.
Core Canals
Starting from the core, the major semicircular canals are the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsen-
gracht. An easy way to remember them is that, apart from the singular Singel (which originally was a moat that
defended Amsterdam's outer limits), these canals are in alphabetical order.
The Herengracht is where Amsterdam's wealthiest residents moved once the canals were completed. They
named the waterway after the Heeren XVII (17 Gentlemen) of the Dutch East India Company, and built their
mansions alongside it. Almost as swanky was the Keizersgracht (Emperor's Canal), a nod to Holy Roman Em-
peror Maximilian I. The Prinsengracht - named after William the Silent, Prince of Orange and the first Dutch
royal - was designed as a slightly cheaper canal with smaller residences and warehouses. It also acted as a barrier
against the crusty working-class quarter beyond, aka the Jordaan. Today the Prinsengracht is the liveliest of Ams-
terdam's inner canals, with cafes, shops and houseboats lining the quays.
Radial Canals
The three major radial canals cut across the core canals like spokes on a bicycle. The Brouwersgracht - aka the
'Brewers Canal' - is one of Amsterdam's most beautiful waterways. It takes its name from the many breweries
that lined the banks in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Leidsegracht was named after the city of Leiden, to
which it was the main water route. Peaceful Reguliersgracht was named after an order of monks whose monas-
tery was located nearby.
In 2010 Unesco dubbed the 400-year-old waterways a World Heritage site. The Jordaan & Western Canals
neighbourhood is a prime place to watch them float by.