Bloemgracht, Canal and street in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Bloemgracht is a canal and parallel street in the Jordaan district of Amsterdam, running between Prinsengracht and Lijnbaansgracht. The waterway is lined with small brick bridges and rows of old houses, many with stepped gables and small gardens facing the canal.

The waterway was dug in the early 1600s as part of the city's westward expansion, and it took its name from a nearby fortification called de Bloem. The Blaeu family of mapmakers later ran their workshop here, producing the Atlas Maior from this neighborhood.

The three adjacent houses at numbers 87, 89 and 91 carry stone plaques with the words Steeman, Landman and Zeeman, marking town dweller, countryman and seaman. These carved signs are not about professions but about different ways of life, and they still catch the eye of anyone strolling past.

The canal is best explored on foot, and the narrow sidewalks allow you to stop and look at the old facades without much traffic nearby. Bicycles pass regularly, so stay alert and keep to the side when walking along the water.

The Atlas Bridge over the canal is named not after a person but after a book: the Atlas Maior, a giant map collection made by the Blaeu family who worked nearby. Another crossing, the Rosa Overbeekbrug, gets its name from a fictional girlfriend in a story, which surprises many first-time walkers.