Singel 166, Canal house on Singel, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Singel 166 is a canal house in Amsterdam with a remarkably narrow front of about 1.80 meters (6 feet) that widens to about 5 meters (16 feet) toward the back. The building extends roughly 16 meters (52 feet) deep and displays the characteristic triangular cross-section common to such structures along the waterways.
This building was constructed in the 17th century when Amsterdam merchants built their homes along the canals during the city's rise as a trading center. That era shaped the distinctive canal house architecture that defines the historic core of the city today.
The house displays the practical building approach of Amsterdam, with its narrow street-facing front that opens wider toward the rear - a clever solution locals used to maximize living space. Walking past, you notice how the structure reflects the everyday needs of people who lived tightly packed along the canals.
The building sits directly across from the Torensluis bridge, making it easy to spot while walking through the canal district. This location works well for exploring the surrounding waterways and viewing other historic structures in the area.
This house is known for having one of the narrowest fronts on the canals, where only a few small windows and a single door fit on the street-facing side. This tightness was intentional - Amsterdam taxed canal houses based on the width of their street frontage, which pushed property owners to build as narrowly as possible at ground level.
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