#amsterdam #holland #singelgracht
1:48 - amsterdam to haarlem train
From the very beginning, Amsterdam has attracted people in droves and has seemingly always been outgrowing its borders. This is how the most famous group of our canals called the Canal Belt (Grachtengordel in Dutch) came into being.

During the 17th Century, which was the Golden Age of Amsterdam’s wealth and power, the city was rapidly expanding due to its flourishing role as a major world trade center. Amsterdam was bursting at the seams, so the city decided to build the Canal Belt outside the existing city confines for its citizens.



Since the city was in the middle of an economic boom, the Canal Belt was specifically designed to be a showcase of the city’s wealth and grandeur. The unique mix of beautiful gabled architecture and state-of-the-art engineering that was the result is what you see today; and, as of 2010, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well.

You may be wondering how many canals in Amsterdam there are today. Now, there are a total of 165 canals that stretch for a combined length of over 100 kilometers – that’s a lot of water!

Singel

The oldest of the main canals and the first canal you will encounter if you are setting off from Dam Square heading west, Singel used to be the moat that provided protection for Amsterdam. Today, this canal bustles with many shops and cafes and the world famous floating flower market known as the Bloemenmarkt.

Herengracht and Keizersgracht

These 2 canals are the next you encounter after Singel, and they have a good amount in common. These are the canals that truly display Amsterdam’s desire to show off its burgeoning wealth and importance. They are much wider than the other canals and are filled with fashionable homes which were once owned by the city’s newly rich merchant class. You’ll notice that many of the buildings here have an almost palatial look to them.

Prinsengracht

The furthest west of the main Canal Belt, the Prinsengracht may mean “prince’s canal” in Dutch, but it was the canal where more real life took place during the Golden Age. Shops, bars, and business hummed on the Prinsengracht back then, and they still do today. The Prinsengracht flows past the blue-crowned Westerkerk and somber Anne Frank House.

Singelgracht

Not to be confused with Singel, Singelgracht is one canal past Prinsengracht, and was the official boundary of the city upon the Canal Belt’s completion. This canal borders popular areas such as Leidseplein, Heineken Brewery, Rijskmuseum, and is the closest to the Vondelpark.

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