Furthermore, the type of roof gable will often give a clue concerning the age of the house. Rich merchants once occupied the larger canal houses, while today these are mostly used by businesses or sub-divided into exclusive residential apartments.
Visiting Museum Van Loon allows you to see what a canal house would have originally looked like on the inside. Many of the canal houses were purposely built so that they leant forward. This enabled heavy or large goods to be winched to upper floors without hitting windows on the way up. However, the buildings which lean sideways have been affected by subsidence. The soft ground and failure of wooden foundation piles over the years caused the building to lean. The price of a canal house in Amsterdam depends on the size and location.
Again, websites like Funda provide up-to-date information. Some of the more exclusive properties are not advertised online. The canals in contain both salt water and fresh water; The salt water enters the cities canals via the Noordzeekanaal, which connect Amsterdam with IJmuiden.
The fresh water flows from the river Rhine, via the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. The canal water is getting cleaner each year, although the sewerage from many of the houseboats flows directly into the canals. As a result, it is officially not considered safe for swimming. However, each year the Amsterdam City Swim takes place to raise money for charity - so it's reasonably hygienic!
The government organisation Waternet ensures that the water is as clean as possible by tackling causes of pollution. Three times a week, the canal gates are opened in order to refresh the water.
Additionally, they fish out 12,, bikes from the canals each year. Typically the depth of the canals is between two and three meters. The canals are not tidal which means the level of the water is fairly consistent.
The water level is regulated by Waternet and is normally 40cm below NAP, which is a national benchmark for measuring water levels. The locals joke that in the canals of Amsterdam are three meters deep; one meter of water, one meter of mud and one meter of bikes.
Drinking alcohol or taking drugs while in control of a boat is illegal. Shouting and amplified music is also illegal on board. Many bridges have low clearance less than 2m. Docking is permitted anywhere in the city except beneath bridges, on narrow waterways, junctions or adjacent to rescue steps, or locations signposted as prohibited.
Switch on your lights at dusk. Prinsengracht The liveliest of Amsterdam's inner canals, with cafes, shops and houseboats lining the quays. Reguliersgracht From here you can peer through the arches of seven bridges. Brouwersgracht Amsterdammers swear this is the city's most beautiful canal, though it has some seriously tough competition. Herengracht Amsterdam's stateliest canal takes in the city's most prestigious real estate along the Golden Bend.
Bloemgracht This gorgeous canal is home to a large number of fine, gabled houses. Egelantiersgracht An elegant and serene canal that feels like you have it practically to yourself. Houseboat Museum Discover how gezellig convivial, cosy houseboat living can be aboard this barge-turned-museum. Het Grachtenhuis Inventive multimedia displays explain how the Canal Ring and its amazing houses were built.
Museum Willet-Holthuysen Sumptuous canal-side property. Kattenkabinet Occupies the only canal house on the Golden Bend that's open to the public. Grachtenfestival Sees classical musicians play alongside and on the water aboard a barge. Pride Amsterdam Amsterdam proudly hosts the only water-borne gay pride festival in the world.
Open Tuinen Dagen Open Garden Days offer the opportunity to view dozens of private gardens along the canals. Sinterklaas Intocht Even St Nicholas sails into town; his arrival by boat heralds the Christmas season. Amsterdam Light Festival Walk or take a cruise to see some 25 'light art' installations reflecting in the water. Amsterdam City Swim Locals kick and splash through the canals to raise money for charity. Houseboat Ms Luctor A beautiful built self-contained boat with mahogany panelling, moored in a quiet location near Centraal Station.
De Belhamel At the head of the Herengracht, this superb restaurant's canal-side tables are an aphrodisiac. Buffet van Odette Simple, creative cooking overlooking the Prinsengracht's crooked canal houses. They even have a kids event. Would you be one of the brave swimmers? I think I would just stick to cheering on the sidelines for this one — that water has to be cold! But diving in the canals in a dry suit? Moving on…. As explained to me by Sebastian my guide in Amsterdam, My boat is my garden.
Some people go to their gardens to relax, I go to my boat. I relax by inviting a few friends and driving my boat along the canals. Ummm, can we be friends? I have 2 adorable black cats named Fuego and Coco named after places I discovered while traveling — bonus points if you can figure out them out that I adopted from the animal shelter.
Related Reading: Romantic Innsbruck, Austria. This houseboat offers a fully equipped kitchen and a washing machine and is situated in the City Center just m away from Anne Frank House. This is the perfect way to experience the canals of Amsterdam like a local. This boat has one of the best location rankings and offers you free Wifi and great breakfast. This is a great way to experience the canals of Amsterdam with a touch of luxury. This hotel, which was once a historic bank, offers you modern rooms that are soundproofed.
With a captain or without. Because of strict municipal regulations, there are not many canal-side terraces in Amsterdam. The existing ones are popular for a good reason. It's fun to watch what happens on the water in the Summertime. In the old days, when the canals were still used for transport of merchandise, living on a houseboat was a sign of poverty in Amsterdam. But as their transport function dwindled in the last century, the old 'industrial' canals became upmarket residential area's.
Old warehouses on the canalsides were converted to Deluxe apparment complexes. The barges that supplied them began a new life as comfortable houseboats with ample living spaces in their former cargo holds. They are all quite old. Many have been afloat for more than a century. Relative newcomers are the house-arks, floating bungalows that are usually built on a hollow concrete platform. These meet with increasing disapproval from local residents and Civil Authorities, who would like to see them move to canals with less historcal importance in the suburbs.
Most of the houseboats are private residences. Because of strict regulations, only a few have lodging space for rent legally. Because the demand is high, the city may ease up the rules in the near future.
Watermanagement is still the most important function of our canals. Without them, the city would drown. Circulating the water is also vital for sanitary reasons.
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