Canal House Gables

Many of Amsterdam’s older buildings have decorative gables at the top. The canal house gables come in a variety of styles and additionally, give an insight into the history of the building.

The gable is a section of wall between the edges of a dual-pitched roof. It is visible on the tall, elegant canal houses in Amsterdam, providing both an aesthetic and functional purpose through their winches. These winches are still used for lifting heavy or bulky items to the top floors.

Over four centuries, the design of the gable facades evolved according to the fashion of the times. Initially, simple triangular gables were used and an example is seen on the 15th-century wooden house in Begijnhof. Subsequently, from 1600 onwards, the step and spout gables were introduced. These had a more solid construction using brick and sandstone. The earliest examples were simple and functional but gradually became more elaborate. Next came the neck gable, with the baroque style of Louis XIV and also the bell-gable with an asymmetrical Louis XV style.

The best way to quickly sample the various canal house gable styles in Amsterdam is to take a walk along Brouwersgracht and Prinsengracht. Good examples can also be found in various locations throughout the centre, even on houses which are not directly next to the canals. It should also be noted that these gables are not unique to Amsterdam or even Holland. They appear in Belgium’s cities such as

It should be noted that these types of gable are not unique to Amsterdam, or even Holland. They also can be admired in Belgian cities such as Bruges, Brussels and Antwerp.

Brouwersgracht 2

Bell Gables 1660 – 1790

The top of a bell gable has the shape of a church bell and is also referred to as a clock-gable. They are made of brick and have sandstone scroll-like decorations on the edges.

The house above at Keizergracht 50 which dates back to 1622 originally had a step-gable. This was later replaced in 1783 with a bell-gable shown when the house underwent renovation.

The decorative sandstone is often compared with think dabs of cream or the white wigs which were fashionable in this era.

Bell gables are regarded as an evolution of the neck-gable and have a similar silhouette. The main difference is that the brickwork extends into the bell shape

Prior to 1700, the bell gables were lower and simpler and also often have a pediment with fruit and flower garlands. In later years they were characterised by exuberant attachments and asymmetric crests in the style of Louis XV.

At Keizergracht 353-357 and Reguliersgracht 17-21 are groups of three canal houses built at the start of the 18th century, all with bell gables. Another earlier example can be seen at Prinsengracht 716 built in 1671.

Neck-gables (Halsgevels) 1638-1780

The neck gable has a facade with both sides forming an angle of 90 degrees. The external corners of neck gables are filled with decorative sandstone jaw pieces.

The facade often features a shell motif and a decorative cartouche. Most neck gable facades are constructed entirely from brick although some were made entirely from sandstone such as the Bible Museum at Herengracht 366-368.

Architect Philip Vingboons introduced the neck gable to Amsterdam. The first real example was constructed in 1636, at Herengracht 168 right next to Bartolotti House. There are two variants of neck gables; elevated or non-elevated. Elevated or raised neck gables feature an extra step incorporating an element of the step gable architecture. Non-elevated neck gables tended to have taller necks and were more richly ornamented. They were most common in the first half of the 18th century.

The spout gable looks like an inverted funnel. The rectangular block on top resembles the funnel’s spout, hence the name spout gable.

This gable design was used by merchants to signify warehousing and trade, rather than a residential property. On some houses in Amsterdam, you will see two gables; a spout gable placed at the rear of the house and a more ornate gable at the front.

Schottenburch at Kromboomssloot 18-20 is the oldest known warehouse in Amsterdam. It has a gable stone dated 1636 but the building can be seen on city maps dating back to 1595. A variety of buildings constructed with spout gables in the 17th and 18th century can be observed along Brouwersgracht (184 -194) and Leliegracht (35). A long line of these buildings can also be seen at Entrepotdok (1708) which is a canal and warehouse complex located near Artis Zoo.

Spout gables increased in number following the decline of Dutch international trade. Many owners replaced their elaborately decorated gables with the plainer more functional gables. An example of this is Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer Op Solder, located at Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40.

Step Gable (Trapgevel) 1600-1665

In the 17th century, the step gable was very common in the Old Centre of Amsterdam. This style is characterised by a series of steps on each side rising to meet in the centre. These steps were often topped with white sandstone blocks.

Some examples of the step gable can be elaborately ornamented. The Bartolotti House at Herengracht 170 was built in 1617 for Willem van den Heuvel who was one of the richest merchants in Amsterdam.

Approximately one hundred examples of step-gable houses can be found in Amsterdam today. A classic example is Cafe Papeneiland which can be found on the corner of Prinsengracht and Brouwersgracht. In the 18th century, many houses were adapted to a more fashionable architectural style. This led to the replacement of the gable facade.

The so-called “House on three canals” (Huis aan de Drie Grachten) has step gables. This house is located on Grimburgwal south, Oudezijds Voorburgwal on the west en Oudezijds Achterburgwal on the east.

Café Kobalt is located in a canal house on the corner of Singel and Droogbak near Central Station. The café dating back to 1603 was originally used as a warehouse and has a timber frame construction together with a step gable.

Herengracht 81 is the oldest residential house in Amsterdam. It was built in 1590 as a traditional merchant’s house featuring a beautiful step gable.

Pointed Gables

A couple of examples of the first pointed gables can still be found in Amsterdam dating back to around 1420. One of these is the wooden house at Begijnhof 34 opposite the church and the other in Zeedijk.

In the 15th century, a huge blaze destroyed much of the city centre. The vulnerability of these wooden buildings to fire led to laws preventing further construction. Brick and sandstone then became the standard material in the construction of walls and tiles were used in place of thatched roofs.

It is possible to spot some wooden gables. At Westerstraat 126 the house has a simple wooden triangular gable. The three adjacent houses are good examples of bell gable, neck gable & spout gable.