Grachtengordel, UNESCO World Heritage canal district in Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Grachtengordel is a residential neighborhood in Amsterdam formed by four main canals arranged in a horseshoe shape, creating several kilometers of waterways around the medieval city center. The district contains over 1000 protected buildings housing hotels, restaurants, and museums that you can reach on foot, by bicycle, or by boat tour.
Construction of these canals started in 1613 during the Dutch Golden Age, when Amsterdam needed to expand due to increased trade and population growth. The expansion happened in stages over time and shaped the city's character for centuries to come.
The canal houses display traditional Dutch architectural style with narrow facades, decorated gables, and large windows that show how merchants lived and worked centuries ago. These design choices shaped the streets you walk through today and remain central to how locals and visitors experience this neighborhood.
The neighborhood is best explored on foot or by bicycle since most sights lie along the canals. Boat tours also work well if you want to see the waterways from the water and get a different view of the buildings.
Each canal was originally built for a specific purpose and drew different groups of people: Singel was a medieval moat, while increasingly wealthy merchants preferred living on the inner canals. This specialization still shows in how the streets look and function today.
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