Grachtengordel
Living between water and history
The UNESCO canals, stately homes and the soft light on the water. The beating heart of historic Amsterdam.
The Grachtengordel is Amsterdam at its finest. Stately seventeenth-century houses look out over the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht, with their characteristic facades, stoops and bridges.
Living here means living in a living museum. And yet it is surprisingly quiet: behind the front doors lie serene gardens, high ceilings and endless details.
Grachtengordel at its finest
The rhythm of the water
Morning light on the canal, a tour boat gliding past, cyclists crossing the bridge. Life moves here at a calm, almost timeless pace.
Culture within walking distance
De Negen Straatjes, galleries, brown cafes and the finest restaurants in the city are literally around the corner. Everything is reachable on foot or by bike.
Born in the Golden Age
The canal ring took shape in the seventeenth century, during the Golden Age, when Amsterdam grew into the wealthiest trading centre in Europe. In a series of city expansions a semicircle of canals was dug, with the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht as its main axes.
The names reveal the history: the Herengracht is named after the regents who governed the city, the Keizersgracht after Emperor Maximilian of Austria, and the Prinsengracht after William of Orange. Merchants built their stately canal houses here with warehouses behind them; since 2010 the ring has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
For sale and for rent in Grachtengordel
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Highlights of the neighbourhood
The canal ring has been on the World Heritage List since 2010, as a unique example of seventeenth-century urban planning.
A cross-connection full of boutiques, concept stores and coffee bars between the main canals.
High ceilings, original box beds and elegant details. Living surrounded by history.
Step straight onto a boat and view the city from the water, as it should be.
Cosy, timeless cafes where the city has gathered for centuries.
Centraal Station, Dam Square and all the museums are within cycling distance.
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