About this experience
In 3 hours you will explore the most amazing buildings in Amsterdam and hear stories of their inhabitants - interesting, sometimes absurd, and occasionally tragic. I will tell you how architectural styles changed in the country, teach you how to easily determine the age of famous 'canal houses', and show you advertisements from the Middle Ages!
What to Expect
Shifts in the landmarks' appearances
Find out how Amsterdam changed and developed on a walk through the neighborhoods and places that are considered the city's brightest symbols. You will see the first wooden houses, Gothic churches, and the finest examples of Renaissance and 'Golden Age' architecture. I will explain the differences between the Amsterdam Renaissance and the Italian one, how classicism arrived in the country, and help you navigate the intricacies. Illustrations to the stories will be the unusually quiet Maritime Quarter, iconic Old and New Churches, the symbol of Dutch maritime power - East India Company House, Mint Square Bridge, the enclosed medieval courtyard Begijnhof, and of course, the Royal Palace.
The City and its Citizens
The history of every city is the stories of the people who live in it. Along the way, you will learn why Rembrandt's mansion was fateful for the painter, who inspired Peter the Great for incredible projects in Russia, how Cornelia Arens challenged Amsterdam's Catholics, who hid in the famous House on the Three Canals, what the reliefs on the walls of The Spinner mean, why the first Dutch navigator perished in obscurity, why the citizens disliked their majestic train station, and what the Amsterdam School is. Additionally, you will see what the first Civil Registry Office looked like and examine outdoor advertisements from the 15th century!
Organizational Details
The tour will be conducted by me or my colleague.
