The Herengracht () is the second of four

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

canals belonging to the canal belt and lies between the

Singel The Singel is one of the canals of Amsterdam. The Singel encircled Amsterdam in the Middle Ages, serving as a moat around the city until 1585, when Amsterdam expanded beyond the Singel. The canal runs from the IJ bay, near the Central Statio ...

and the

Keizersgracht The Keizersgracht (; "Emperor's canal") is a canal in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It is the second of the three main Amsterdam canals that together form the Grachtengordel, or canal belt, and lies between the inner Herengracht and outer Prinsengr ...

. The

Gouden Bocht The Gouden Bocht (English: "Golden Bend") is the most prestigious part of the Herengracht in Amsterdam, Netherlands, between Leidsestraat and Vijzelstraat. Until 1663 the Herengracht reached as far as the present Leidsegracht. From that year o ...

(Golden Bend) in particular is known for its large and beautiful canal houses.

History

The Herengracht was built starting in 1612 on the initiative of Mayor Frans Hendricksz. Oetgens, city carpenter Hendrick Jacobsz. Staets and city surveyor Lucas Jansz Sinck. Before that it was a moat (dug in 1585) for the companies located behind the Singel. The canal ran within the city wall parallel to the canal outside the city wall. The Herengracht therefore still has a kink at Driekoningenstraat, where the outer moat was routed around a stronghold at that height. When the ditch was widened into the present canal it was given the name Herengracht in 1612, after the ''Heren Regeerders van de stad Amsterdam'' (Gentlemen Governors of the city of Amsterdam). The part between

Leidsegracht The Leidsegracht () is a canal in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It is a cross-canal in Amsterdam-Center that connects Herengracht, Keizersgracht, Prinsengracht and Lijnbaansgracht and flows into the Singelgracht at Marnixstraat. History The Leid ...

and the Binnen Amstel is part of the expansion after 1658. This part contains the

(Golden Bend), the most prestigious part of the Herengracht. Many of the houses were inhabited here by regents, mayors and traders who earned their fortunes in trade with

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...

or the Dutch East Indies. Many buildings were built by the Amsterdam architects

Philips Vingboons Philips Vingboons (or ''Vinckboons'', ''Vinckeboons'', ''Vinckbooms'') ( – 2 October 1678) was a Dutch architect. He was part of the school of Jacob van Campen, that is, Dutch Classicism. Vingboons was especially highly regarded in his native ...

(1607–78) or Adriaan Dortsman (1635–82). In the last expansion, the section east of the Amstel was laid to the water of the IJ. This last part, located in the prosperous part of Amsterdam's Jewish quarter, was named Nieuwe Herengracht.

Monuments

There are many monumental canal houses on Herengracht, such as: * 59: De Hond, (The Dog), from 1659. * 120: De Coningh van Denemarken (The King of Denmark), from 1615. * 170-172: Bartolotti House, or "Het Bonte Huis", from around 1617. * 203: Koopmanshuis, from ± 1618. * 274: D 'Witte Leli, from 1739. * 284: Van Brienen House, from 1728. * 361: Sonnenberg, from ± 1655. * 364-370: Cromhouthuizen, from 1660 to 1662 * 394: Vier Heemskinderen, from ± 1671. Named for the legend of

The Four Sons of Aymon ''The Four Sons of Aymon'' (french: esQuatre fils Aymon, nl, De Vier Heemskinderen, german: Die Vier Haimonskinder), sometimes also referred to as ''Renaud de Montauban'' (after its main character) is a medieval tale spun around the four sons ...

. * 432: The former home of pastor

Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis Ferdinand Jacobus Domela Nieuwenhuis (31 December 1846 – 18 November 1919) was a Dutch socialist politician and later a social anarchist and anti-militarist. He was a Lutheran preacher who, after he lost his faith, started a political fight ...

. * 446: Huis van de Graeff, former city palace of

Andries de Graeff Andries de Graeff (19 February 1611 – 30 November 1678) was a powerful member of the Amsterdam branch of the De Graeff - family during the Dutch Golden Age. He became a mayor of Amsterdam and a powerful Amsterdam regent after the death of his ...

* 450: Huis van Deutz, from 1663, house of Andries Adolf Deutz van Assendelft after 1722. * 462: Sweedenrijk (Sweden), from 1672. * 476: Huis De Vicq, from 1670. * 475: Huis De Neufville (Huis aan de Bocht), from 1731 and 1733. * 478: House of John Sillem (1837-1896), Dutch banker * 502: Huis met de Kolommen (House with the Columns), from 1672; official residence of the mayor. * 528-530: Two houses under one roof from 1686, commissioned by the brothers Louis of Lodewijk Trip (1605-1684) and Hendrick Trip (1607-1666), the same clients of the

Trippenhuis The Trippenhuis is a neoclassical canal mansion in the centre of Amsterdam. It was built in 1660–1662 for the wealthy Amsterdam weapons traders Louis and Hendrick Trip. Many references to weaponry can be seen on its facade. Since 1887 it has be ...

on Kloveniersburgwal 29 in Amsterdam. Vestibule 528 rebuilt by architect

Eduard Cuypers Eduard Cuypers (18 April 1859 Roermond – 1 June 1927, The Hague) was a Dutch architect. He worked in Amsterdam and the Dutch East Indies. Biography Cuypers was trained in the architectural practice of his uncle Pierre Cuypers, the countr ...

in 1895. * 572: Heren aan de Gracht, with 18th-century period rooms. * 573 : former residence of

Cornelis de Graeff Cornelis de Graeff, also Cornelis de Graeff van (Zuid-)Polsbroek (15 October 1599 – 4 May 1664) was the most illustrious member of the De Graeff family. He was a mayor of Amsterdam from the Dutch Golden Age and a powerful Amsterdam regent after ...

. There are also historic gardens such as: *412: The garden and garden house of G. Belin la Garde. *168: Historical garden. File:H170.jpg , Bartolotti House, Herengracht 170 File:H380.jpg, Herengracht 380 File:Amsterdam - Herengracht 478.JPG, Herengracht 478 File:Amsterdam, Herengracht buitenkant bij Brouwersgracht grachtenpanden foto1.JPG , Herengracht, corner of

Blauwburgwal The Blauwburgwal (literally: nl, blue fortress wall) is a canal in Amsterdam between the Singel (at Lijnbaanssteeg) and the Herengracht (at Herenstraat). It is the shortest canal in the city center and part of the west Grachtengordel (canal belt ...

File:Detail kaart 1680 door Jacobus Bosch.jpg, Detail map by Jacobus Bosch, showing that in 1680 many plots had not yet been built

Museums

* Bartolotti Museum House, Herengracht 170 * The Canal House at Herengracht 386. * The KattenKabinet at Herengracht 497. * The

Museum Geelvinck-Hinlopen Museum Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis was situated from its opening 1991 till the end of 2015 in a canal-side mansion, the Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This patrician mansion, close to the Rembrandtplein, was built for Albert ...

at Herengracht 518 (entrance: Keizersgracht 633). * The

Museum of Bags and Purses The Museum of Bags and Purses ( nl, Tassenmuseum Amsterdam), was a museum devoted to the history of bags, purses, and their related accessories. Located in Amsterdam's historic central canal belt, the museum's collection included over 5,000 item ...

(Tassenmuseum Hendrikje) at Herengracht 573. * The

Museum Willet-Holthuysen Museum Willet-Holthuysen is a located on the Herengracht in Amsterdam. The Amsterdam famous ring of canals is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. History The house was built for Jacob Hop, mayor of Amsterdam, around 1685. He was not the last may ...

at Herengracht 605 with a formal garden adjacent to the Amstelstraat. * The activities of the Toneelmuseum (formerly in 'Huis Bartolotti') have been taken over by the Theater Instituut Nederland ( nl) at Sarphatistraat 53, Amsterdam.

Orientation

Herengracht begins in the north at the Brouwersgracht in the West Indian house bridge and Milkmaid Bridge, parallels bends on the

and the

gradually towards the southeast, and flows into the

Amstel The Amstel () is a river in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. It flows from the Aarkanaal and Drecht in Nieuwveen northwards, passing Uithoorn, Amstelveen, and Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, to the IJ in Amsterdam. Annually, the r ...

. The odd-numbered side of the canal is on the side of the heart of the city (

Dam Square Dam Square or the Dam () is a town square in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Its notable buildings and frequent events make it one of the best-known and most important locations in the city and the country. Location and description ...

). * The intersection with Raadhuisstraat is at Herengracht 184 and 211 * The junction with Leidsestraat / Koningsplein is located at Herengracht 424 and 433. * The junction with Vijzelstraat is located at Herengracht 482 and 513. * The Thorbeckeplein is located at Herengracht 561 and 563 at the Reguliersgracht. * The intersection with Utrechtsestraat is at Herengracht 556 and 587. * The canal flows into the Amstel at Herengracht 598 and 627.

Bridges

The Herengracht is spanned by eleven bridges: With the passage heights in the table, one should take into account the fact that the Herengracht, like all other canals in the city center, is - from the

Amsterdam Ordnance Datum Amsterdam Ordnance Datum or ' (NAP) is a vertical datum in use in large parts of Western Europe. Originally created for use in the Netherlands, its height was used by Prussia in 1879 for defining ', and in 1955 by other European countries. In the ...

Herengracht canals elsewhere

The Herengracht in

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...

is filled in.

Maarssen Maarssen () is a town in the middle of the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht, along the river Vecht and the Amsterdam–Rhine Canal. The west of Maarssen is called Maarssen-BroekStatistics are taken from thSDU Staatscourant whereas the east ...

also has a Herengracht; on the right bank of the Vecht. There are also Herengrachts in

Drimmelen Drimmelen () is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands, in the province North Brabant. A large portion of the Biesbosch National Park is part of this municipality. Population centres Towns: * Made (population: 11,710) * Terheij ...

Leiden Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wi ...

Muiden Muiden () is a city and former municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It lies at the mouth of the Vecht and is in an area called the Vechtstreek. Since 2016, Muiden has been part of the new municipality of Gooise Mere ...

Middelburg Middelburg may refer to: Places and jurisdictions Europe * Middelburg, Zeeland, the capital city of the province of Zeeland, southwestern Netherlands ** Roman Catholic Diocese of Middelburg, a former Catholic diocese with its see in the Zeeland ...

Purmerend Purmerend () is a city and municipality in the west of the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and in the region of West Friesland. The city is surrounded by polders, such as the Purmer, Beemster and the Wormer. The city became the t ...

, Terneuzen,

Weesp Weesp () is a city, an urban area in the municipality of Amsterdam and a former municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It had a population of in . It lies on the river Vecht and next to the Amsterdam–Rhine Canal in an are ...

and even in

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

and other places in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

. In

Madurodam Madurodam (, opened 1952) is a miniature park and tourist attraction in the Scheveningen district of The Hague in the Netherlands. It is home to a range of 1:25 scale model replicas of famous Dutch landmarks, historical cities and large develop ...

a part of the Amsterdam Herengracht can be seen in miniature.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Herengracht Canals in Amsterdam