‘Old Amsterdam’

In the period 1991-1994 I made a photographic story about Amsterdam Old-West. As a street photographer I do this again, but now within the boundaries of ‘Old Amsterdam’. This part of Amsterdam is everything that lies within the Singelgracht.

Street photography

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Oosterdokskade, Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam, augustus 2024

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Leidsestraat, Metz, Rietveldpaviljoen, juli 2024

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The Singelgracht is the waterway that borders the entire Amsterdam Center and flows along the Nassaukade, Stadhouderskade and Mauritskade. The name only refers to the canal, not the adjacent built-up quays. Partly for this reason the name is less known than those of other canals. On the outside of the canal are the Nassaukade (west), Stadhouderskade (south) and Mauritskade (east); on the center side the Marnixkade, Leidsekade, Nicolaas Witsenkade, Sarphatikade, Huddekade, Spinozastraat and Alexanderkade. (source: Wikipedia). The Singelgracht was created during the fourth expansion of the canal belt (the Fourth Explanation) in 1663. At that time, the 5 meter high city wall was extended over the Amstel to the east. There was a 60 meter wide canal around this city wall: the Singelgracht. Ultimately, this created an 8-kilometer city defense structure with 26 pentagonal strongholds and eight gates: ‘the Buitensingel’. This striking semi-circular wall marked the boundaries of Amsterdam until the end of the 19th century

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