Gouden Bocht, Canal-side city block in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Gouden Bocht is a curving stretch of the Herengracht canal lined with large homes from the 17th and 18th centuries. The buildings stand close together, with tall windows, decorated gables, and small front steps facing the water.

The area was laid out after the city removed its old walls in the early 1660s, and rich merchants began raising homes along this canal around 1664. Many buildings later became offices or were divided, but much of the original street plan remains.

During summer, a few private gardens behind these homes open to the public on a single weekend, letting visitors see spaces normally hidden from the street. The name comes from the canal’s shape and the money spent on construction, a reminder of the district’s social rank.

Walking the length of the bend takes only a few minutes, but allow extra time to stop and study the facades. Footpaths run along the canal, and the area is best explored on foot, with bridges nearby offering wide views.

Horses and carriages were once kept in stables hidden behind the homes, with gates opening onto separate lanes not visible from the canal. Visitors often miss that many original resident plaques and stone details still mark individual buildings along the row.