Canal Ring Architecture walk

Canal Ring Architecture tour

Canal Ring Architecture walk

Canal Ring Architecture tour

Europe’s most spectacular urban landscape

Canal Ring Architecture walk

Startingpoint

We start and finish at the Herenmarkt, on the Brouwersgracht, Behind the ‘West Indisch Huis’, a 10 minute walk from Amsterdam Central Station
Duration | Distance

2 hours | -/+ 3 km (1.4 ml)
Highlights

Westerkerk, House with the Heads, Narrowest canal house, Nieuwe Lutherse kerk, oldest bridge, crooked architecture.
Price

Available from €60,- p.p. (minimum 2 persons)

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private Canal Ring Architecture tour

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Canal Ring Architecture tour

Canal Ring Architecture Tour

The Amsterdam canals are an unique urban landscape. Miles of waterways stretch out underneath hundreds of bridges, forming a ring around the medieval city center. It’s easy to get lost here. Some visitors to Amsterdam complain that all the canals look exactly the same. We – naturally – disagree and are happy to help you get your bearings of the Amsterdam canal ring.

Renaissance in a swamp

During the Canal Ring Architecture Walk we explain the link between the the Italian renaissance and the Amsterdam canals. Lustrous architectural ideals and urban design from Italy versus the sobering terrain conditions of the lowlands – the muddy mouth of the river Amstel and its boggy polder landscape. How did the Dutch come up with and manage to execute this revolutionary expansion plan?

Boomtown Amsterdam

We start where the canal ring itself started: at the Brouwersgracht, on the Herenmarkt: a place full of stories. Here we take you to the Amsterdam of the 1500s, when the city was bursting at the seams and seriously neeeded to expand. We explain how the iconic shape of the canal ring was born. We also talk about the difficulties that the engineers stumbled upon while building it.

Warehouse of the world

In the late 1500s the city of Amsterdam had managed to place itself into the center of Northern-European trade. The legacy of this role as spider in a web of trade routes can be seen all over the city, especially along the canals. We explain how the many warehouses functioned and how new innovations in trade led to the sudden enormous success of Amsterdam.

Canal Ring Architecture

On the Canal Ring Architecture Walk we highlight the abundance of architectural styles that make Amsterdam so unique: from Flemish Mannerism to Dutch Renaissance, Baroque and the French Louis styles. Why do the houses look the way they do? On this tour you will learn to understand how all these architectural styles are related and also how it was possible that the canal ring remained intact throughout four centuries.

Religious Amsterdam

Along the Singel we talk about religion in Amsterdam. Lutherans, Calvinists, Jews and Catholics: all possible denominations found a home along the canals. Learn how Amsterdam’s tolerance towards people of different religions was unique in 17^th century Europe. Understand why you see so many churches without a church tower and why the back of the iconic Wester Church is so much prettier than the front. Discover how religious Amsterdam is today.

Living along the canals

What have René Descartes, Rembrandt van Rijn, John Adams and Anne Frank in common? They all lived along Amsterdam’s historical canals. Besides them famous, as well as obscure merchants, bankers, politicians, writers, captains of industry spend their days there. We will make you acquainted with some of these illustrious characters.

In Dutch society the ‘Canal Ring’ has become synonymous for the urban elite of the country: a closed biotope of the political and intellectual upper class. Learn from a local how this small group shaped (and continues to shape) the image of the Canal Ring in The Netherlands.

Backdrop for festivities

Today the Amsterdam canals form the backdrop of several national celebrations like Kingsday and Gay Pride. Get the stories behind the picturesque facades with your own private local guide.

Tour reviews

Operator: Amsterdam Red Light District Tours

Our tour guide Martin was engaging from the very beginning. Very well informed and interesting. Questions were responsed to. Highly recommend this tour.... read more Totally enjoyable!!

marcusbI4516IY
3/12/2020

I booked a private tour of the Rijksmuseum with Old Amsterdam Tours for a corporate event. Egor was our amazing guide who was engaging, knowable and genuinely excited to share... read more

TheTulip165
11/09/2017

Tijs gave us a wonderful tour of Amsterdam focused on literary history. He showed us where several main Dutch Authors lived, took us to sites that inspired writers and even... read more

Joyce S
4/04/2019

Tijs was amazing. His knowledge is outstanding and the tour was fun, interesting and informative. We would definitely recommend him to anyone needing a tour guide in Amsterdam. He tailor... read more

493merlek
8/30/2019

My family of 5 adults never has more than a long weekend to explore the cities of Europe and Tijs truly surpassed our expectations, This knowledgable, fun and experienced guide... read more

NJL
8/26/2018