Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
that, on the left, is the fascinating
Amstelkring Museum, in the Our
Lord in the Attic Church (at #40,
one of the city's most visit-worthy
museums—see Amstelkring Museum
Tour, page 153).
Near the next bridge (at #14) is a
historic building from 1580 (two years
after Amsterdam's Protestants booted
out their Spanish rulers, and t wo
decades before the Dutch East India
Company formed, but built during a
time of increasing overseas trade).
On the right, farther down the canal, a view of “Little Venice”
shows houses rising directly from the water (no quays or streets).
Like Venice, the city was built in a marshy delta area, on millions
of pilings. And, like Venice, it grew rich on sea trade.
• From here, passing a collection of fine gable stones embedded in the
wall, continue straight up a small lane called Sint Olofssteeg to Zeedijk
street. Turn left and walk along Zeedijk street to where it dead-ends at
a viewpoint overlooking the marina, Damrak, and Central Station.
On the corner, at Zeedijk 1, you'll find an...
Old Wooden House
Picture the scene in the 1600s, when this café was a tavern, sitting
right at what was then the water's edge. (Central Station sits on
reclaimed land at the former mouth of the harbor.) Sailors tied up
in today's marina, arriving from, say, a two-year voyage to Bali,
bringing home fabulous wealth. They spilled into Zeedijk street,
were greeted by swinging ladies swinging red lanterns, stopped by
St. Olaf 's chapel to say a prayer of thanks, then anchored in this
tavern for a good Dutch beer.
• Turn around and backtrack, heading up Zeedijk street, to the crest of
a bridge, to see...
The Zeedijk and the Locks
The street called Zeedijk runs along
the top of the “sea dike” that histori-
cally protected sea-level Amsterdam
from North Sea tides. Once a day,
a city worker unlocks the green box
(by the railing) and presses a button,
the locks open, and the tides f lush
out the city's canals. If the gate is
open, you might see water f lowing
in or out.
