The Brouwersgracht is a 17th-century canal built during the Dutch Golden Age, a period of great economic and cultural prosperity in the Netherlands. The canal was named after the many breweries along its banks, and it served as an important transportation route for beer barrels and other goods. Today, the Brouwersgracht is a designated national monument.

One of the main attractions of the Brouwersgracht is its beautiful canal houses, which feature various styles of ornate gables, large windows with colourful shutters, and beautiful facades. These houses were built by wealthy merchants and traders who wanted to show off their wealth and status.

Former historic warehouses and canal houses have been converted into stylish apartments, offices, shops, art galleries, restaurants, and other businesses.

Another notable feature of Brouwersgracht is the many houseboats moored along the canal. These boats are a unique feature of Amsterdam’s canals, adding to the city’s character and charm. Many of the houseboats on Brouwersgracht are decorated with plants, flowers, and other decorations, making them even more charming.

One of the highlights of Brouwersgracht is the view of the Westerkerk, a beautiful church that dominates the skyline of the Jordaan district. The church’s tower is visible from many points along the canal and provides a stunning photo backdrop.

Another highlight of the Brouwersgracht is the many bridges crossing the canal. The most famous bridge is the Brouwersgracht Bridge, built in the 19th century and decorated with wrought-iron railings and lanterns. The bridge is a popular spot for taking photos and enjoying the view of the canal and its surroundings. Other notable bridges include the Reestraat Bridge, a wooden deck and a brick arch, and the Palmgracht Bridge, adorned with sculptures of dolphins and sea horses.

Visitors to the Brouwersgracht can also enjoy a stroll along the streets on either side of the canal. The towpath, lined with trees and benches, offers a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city centre and provides a great vantage point for admiring canal houses and boats. In the summer, many residents and visitors enjoy picnics and barbecues alongside the canal.

In conclusion, the Brouwersgracht is a must-see destination for anyone visiting Amsterdam. Its historic canal houses, picturesque bridges, and scenic towpath make it one of the city’s most charming and photogenic spots. Whether interested in history, architecture, or simply taking a leisurely stroll, the Brouwersgracht has something to offer everyone.

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You find yourself at Amsterdam central station an hour or two to spare. Go and explore the neighbourhood! There’s a lot to see and do near the station and it’s also one of the best photo locations in Amsterdam. There’s plenty of variety nearby so let’s take a look at what kind of photos you can expect to capture within a 5-10 minute walk from Amsterdam Centraal.

Inside the Main Station
The main roof arches have a decorative piece; a train wheel with wings which was the original symbol for the Dutch railways. For a well-centred photo like this one, head on up to platforms 5 & 6. This was taken on the north-west side of the station (or left side if you’re looking from the front)

Starbucks has a cafe on platform 2 which is set in the old second class waiting room.

The mirrored ceiling at the back of the main building…In this photo, I’ve flipped it 180 to give the impression of a mirrored floor

Front of the Station
Starting with the obvious, let’s take a look at the front of the station building itself. The station architecture has a very similar style to the Rijksmuseum – both were designed by architect Pierre Cuypers. With a wide-angle lens or an iPhone, you can probably capture the main facade by positioning yourself in front of the Metro entrance.

To capture the full width of the station and gain a bit of perspective, walk around the section of water (Open Havenfront) in front of the station.

The sun hits the front of the station in the late afternoon or evening depending on the time of year adding a little extra warmth to the red bricks. Maybe you want to experiment a bit and look for some more original shots? Look at the metro station, trams & maybe street photo of commuters & tourists.

The rear of the station
So, what’s behind the station in Amsterdam, anything photo-worthy? The rearmost part of the station complex is home to an elevated bus station. In itself, not particularly stunning unless you like modern architecture, but you do get nice views across the river Ij.

You’ll sometimes see people ignoring the “no pedestrian” signs to get a nice shot of the harbour. The photos you will get from here are not significantly better than you’d get from the pavement below, so probably not worth the risk of getting hit by a bus.

The best photo of the bus station would be from the Eye Museum on the other side of the water. The roof of the station has “Amsterdam” in large letters. Below the bus station are a selection of shops, restaurants and cafes.

All water behind the station – the river Ij to be exact, is the reason why Amsterdam became so successful. This is the entrance to Amsterdam’s port, connecting the city with the wider world. The wealth and growth of the city through the 16th and 17th centuries stems from the trade which passed through here.

As you come out of the station’s rear entrance, you can pick up FREE transport Ferries which take you across the river to various locations in Amsterdam Noord. You can visit the futuristic Eye which is Amsterdam’s film museum. Another ferry will take you on a longer trip to NDSM edgy/artsy/regeneration, Botel, Submarine.

The east of the station
At the rear of the station To the east, you have a series of modern architecture buildings, the first of which is the concert hall Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ / Bimhuis. The Amsterdam passenger terminal where large cruise ship dock is part of the same complex. Very close by is the Belgian cafe/bar Delirium serving 720 types of beer- a great atmosphere, but it won’t necessarily help your photography! Further on down there’s a bridge (Jan Schaeferbrug) across the river Ij if you want to get a different perspective of the harbour & station.

The west of the station
Running underneath the west side of the station is a  tunnel for pedestrians and cyclists. Towards the front of the tunnel is a tiled mosaic depicting Amsterdam’s maritime past.

Further to the west of the station, you have some jetties followed by a series of modern offices with hotels and cafes. Bagel & Beans is friendly and relatively cheap for coffee & lunch.

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Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam

The beautiful Portuguese Synagogue is one of the most important legacies of the vibrant Jewish community in Amsterdam. Until the Holocaust, Jews made up more than 10% of the population of Amsterdam. During the 16th and 17th century, many Jews that faced persecution in Spain and Portugal fled to Amsterdam. The religious tolerance they enjoyed in the Dutch Republic was unheard of in the rest of Europe. The Amsterdam Sephardic community became one of the largest and richest Jewish communities in Europe during the Dutch Golden Age, and their very large synagogue reflected this.

The Entrance

There is an inscription in Hebrew above the entrance that refers to Psalm 5:8 “In the abundance of Thy lovingkindness will I come into Thy house”. There is also reference to the date 1672 which is an interesting curiosity. This was the year in which the synagogue was supposed to be ready. However, due to the war in 1672 which was “The Year of Disaster” it was not possible to finish the construction.

History of the Portuguese Synagogue

The Sephardic Jews who settled in Amsterdam in the late 16th century commissioned Elias Baumans and Daniel Stalpaert to design the synagogue. It was to be the biggest in the world and was inspired by the architecture of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. Like many of the buildings in Amsterdam, its foundations consist of wooden piles driven into the ground. They started building in 1671 and in 1675 the Portuguese Synagogue opened. It cost the community around 186,000 florins. Minor restorations have been made, but the synagogue still looks pretty much the same as 340 years ago.

Architecture of the Portuguese Synagogue

The architecture shows the self-confidence and wealth of the Jewish community in Amsterdam. It was the largest synagogue of its time and one of the biggest buildings in Amsterdam. A model of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem provided inspiration for the architects. Around the main building, there are various offices and archives, the rabbinate, a mortuary and the Ets Haim (Tree of Life) library that holds valuable collections of Sephardic manuscripts.

Interior of the Portuguese Synagogue

The Interior of the Portuguese Synagogue is the longitudinal Iberian-Sephardic type. The Holy Ark which is situated in the South East corner faces Jerusalem. The Tebah stands on the other side of the room opposite the ark. The service is led from the Tebah.

Interior of the Portuguese Synagogue

The interior of the synagogue is lit by 1000 candles held in two enormous brass chandeliers. Additional light streams through the 72 windows. The upper section of the synagogue is the women’s gallery which is supported by twelve stone columns. These represent the twelve tribes of Israel.

Opening hours for visitors

It is open to the public and guided tours can be arranged in advance. Note that the synagogue is closed on Saturdays.
April 1 – October 31: Sunday till Friday 10.00 – 16.00 hrs.
November 1 – March 31: Sunday until Thursday 10.00 – 16.00. Friday 10.00 – 14.00.
For more information visit the Jewish Cultural Quarter website.

The Winter Synagogue

The area surrounding the main building also includes a winter synagogue with central heating and electric lighting. This is the site of the congregation’s regular weekly services and was created during the 1955–1959 renovation in the former Etz Hayim seminary auditorium.

Location

The Portuguese Synagogue is located in the centre of Amsterdam near Waterlooplein.

Address: Mr. Visserplein 3, 1011 RD Amsterdam

Photo Tips

– Cameras are permitted and photos are possible but flash photography is not allowed
– Larger camera bags are not permitted in the Jewish Cultural Museum

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Rembrandt lived in the house at Jodenbreestraat 4 in Amsterdam between 1639 and 1658. This large house built in 1606 cost him 13,000 guilders which would be the equivalent of €150,000 today. Rembrandt was a famous artist at that time and was earning good money. He agreed to pay for the house in instalments but did not keep up the repayments. These financial problems led to his bankruptcy in 1656. Two years later, the creditors sold his house and all his possessions at an auction. After the sale, Rembrandt moved to a smaller rented house on Rozengracht 184 where he lived until he died in 1669.

The inventory of Rembrandt’s possessions which was made for the auction was not destroyed. This list details his furniture, paintings, prints, drawings, statues, weapons and other objects. It was used as the basis for replicating the interior of the house together with some of Rembrandt’s sketches and paintings.

Kitchen

The kitchen was a warm comfortable room which also served as a dining room. A door in the kitchen leads into the small courtyard which contained an outdoor toilet. The kitchen also contained a box bed for the maid.

Entrance Hall

The front door at street level leads into the entrance hall for the house. This hall contained many paintings which Rembrandt was selling. Some of the work was his own but he also sold work from other painters.

Living Room

A door from the entrance hall leads into the reception room. This elegant room was where Rembrandt carried out his art dealing business. The walls contained dozens of paintings from which customers could choose. He sold his own paintings works year and those of his pupils. The pillars on the fireplace are marble. The plinth appears to be marble but was actually was painted so that it looked like marble.

Rembrandt was an innovative artist and developed techniques for etching using copper plates. From these copper plates, he would create prints. The copperplate would be placed onto a wooden press and moist paper would be laid on top. after pressing the paper the paper would be hanged on a line to dry. Staff at the museum give free demonstrations of the etching and printing process.

Studio

There was a large studio in the house where Rembrandt painted his masterpieces between 1639 and 1658. The room was facing north which provided a consistent light through the windows. The position of the easel in this room can be seen in one of his drawings. Rembrandt would get his assistants to make the paint and prepare the canvases. Staff at the Rembrandt House Museum give demonstrations showing how the oil paint was made. They also explain how all the materials for making the paint were sourced.

Store Room

Next to the studio, Rembrandt had a room in which he kept many rare objects from other countries. He also kept albums of artwork there containing around 8000 prints in total.

Living Room

Rembrandt’s living room also served as his bedroom. The beds in this year there were a lot shorter than the one’s today. This is because people would sleep partly upright position to prevent a perceived danger of blood pooling in the head.

Gallery

Rembrandt was one of the greatest graphic talents of all time. His contemporaries admired the freedom of his drawing and his dramatic lighting effects experiments with etching techniques. Subsequent generations of artists have drawn inspiration and ideas from Rembrandts prints. He would often very printing process in order to generate unique prints from the same plate.

Children Discovery Trail

Rembrandt House Museum is a great place for children to learn about art and be inspired. Workbooks are available at reception for the kids to take part in a discovery trail.

location

The Rembrandt House Museum is located in the centre of Amsterdam near Waterlooplein.

Address: Jodenbreestraat 4, 1011 NK Amsterdam

photo tips

Like many museums, the lighting is quite dim in most of the rooms. Increase your ISO as high as possible and if necessary increase your aperture.
Most of these photos were taken with an iPhone and enhanced using the Snapseed App.
Tripods are allowed but permission is required.
Small camera bags are allowed to be carried through the rooms but larger backpacks are not allowed.

sights nearby

Blauwbrug

Moses and Aaron Church

Waterlooplein

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Munttoren (mint tower) is a remnant of the Regulierspoort which was a gateway into the city. The tower was part of the old medieval city wall built between 1480 and 1487. It had two towers separated by a gate & guardhouse. After the city’s expansion, this city defence was no longer needed and lost its function.

With the exception of a glass works the wall right of the gate was demolished in 1613.

In 1616, a guardroom was placed on the other side, Two years later, the city gate caught fire. It was suspected that the fire originated in the glass house, but the fire may have originated in the tower where the guard was staying

In 1620, the tower was rebuilt. It was designed by Hendrick de Keyser (the town stonemason) in an Amsterdam Renaissance style. The base was an octagonal structure and the upper part featured a graceful open spire. The clock at the top had four clock faces and carillon of bells. The tower is approximately 40 meters (130 feet) tall.

Due to the war with France and England in 1672, it was not possible to safely transport silver and gold from the mints in Dordrecht and Enkhuizen. Coins were then produced in this tower in Amsterdam leading to its present name Munttoren. The coins were made in the guardhouse.

In 1865 and 1877, the so-called English houses built in 1624 on the site of the glass house, were demolished. This allowed the widening of the bridge over the Singel canal. making it decided disappeared Sheep Square. The new square was named Sophia Square, the deceased first wife of King William III, but was soon called La Monnaie or simply Currency popularly. It was only in 1917 that the official name of the square.

The guardhouse was replaced in 1877 by the present building in neo-renaissance, conducted under the direction of W, Springer. The tower which used to dominate the area became increasingly overshadowed by surrounding buildings, such as the Carlton Hotel in the Vijzelstraat.

Munttoren is one of the five towers in Amsterdam that hold carillons made by the brothers Francois and Pieter Hemony. The other bells can be found at the Oudekerk, Zuiderkerk, the Westerkerk and the dome of the Royal Palace. The carillon in Munttoren now consists of 38 bells, 11 more than the original number. On Saturdays, between 2 and 3 p.m., Gideon Bodden, the Amsterdam city carillonneur gives a live concert on the bells.

Scale models of Munttoren Amsterdam are exhibited at Madurodam in The Hague and at Mini-Europe in Brussels.

Why Visit Munttoren?

– It’s a nice reminder of the old city for those interested in the history of Amsterdam.

– It’s a good opportunity to hear carillon bells playing some tunes.

– The Delftware gift shop will appeal to those looking for the better than average quality souvenirs.

– Munttoren Amsterdam is also really accessible and close by to other attractions such as the flower market and Rembrandtplein.

Munttoren

location

Munttoren stands on the busy Muntplein square, where the Amstel river and the Singel canal meet, near the flower market and the eastern end of the Kalverstraat shopping street.

Muntplein
1012 WR AMSTERDAM

photo tips

Nice views of the tower from Reguliersbreestraat (leading to Rembrandtplein) or from Halvemaansbrug bridge across the Amstel.

sights nearby

Rembrandtplein

Bloemenmarkt

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Moses and Aaron Church

location

The Aaron and Moses Church is about a twenty-minute walk from Amsterdam Central Station to Rembrandtplein passing De Waag, Café de Sluyswacht & Rembrandthuis. Nearest Metro: From Central Station, take Metro 54 to Waterlooplein which takes about 3 mins, and continue on foot to Blauwbrug.

photo tips

– Two plaques from the original houses Moses & Aaron can be found at the back of the church (Jodenbreestraat).
– The inside of the church can be seen – the church is open to the public for mass & prayer.
– The front facade is best photographed when the Waterlooplein market is closed.

sights nearby

Blauwbrug – Amstel

waterlooplein market stalls

Rembrandthuis

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Waterlooplein

Location

The market is located in the centre of Amsterdam, next to the river Amstel. It’s approximately 15 minutes walk from Amsterdam Central Station.
Trams 9 & 14: Stop Waterlooplein
Metro: 51, 53 & 54: Stop Waterlooplein

Waterlooplein Photo Tips

Look for Strong colours on the market stalls such as the brightly coloured Dr Martens boots. These intense colours with a simple composition grab the viewers attention.
Repeating Patterns create a visual rhythm and are a simple but effective composition technique.
Humorous and unusual items are plentiful at this market. Remarkable and original images can be more popular than excellent but predictable shots.

Sights Nearby

Blauwbrug – Amstel

Moses and Aaron Church

Rembrandthuis

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The Bloemenmarkt Flower Market is a floating market located on Singel. In the past, traders would sail in from the Amstel and sell flowers directly from their boats. The modern-day market uses a permanent floating structure and is primarily a place to buy souvenirs & flower bulbs rather than fresh flowers.

The present-day market is a big tourist attraction selling not only fresh cut flowers, but bulbs which can be exported directly overseas. The stalls are a great place to buy gifts & souvenirs of Holland and Amsterdam. The opposite side of the narrow street offers an interesting and somewhat unusual selection of shops and cafés including the Christmas Palace shop where you can buy Christmas decorations 365 days of the year!

It’s well worth viewing the back of the market stalls from the other side of the Singel with the canal houses as an atmospheric backdrop.

The market is open from 9:00 -17:30 Monday to Saturday and 11:00-17:30 on Sundays.

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Sights Nearby

Magere Brug

The Magere Brug is one of the most picturesque bridges in Amsterdam. It’s located in the centre of the city crossing over the river Amstel. Magere Brug literally translated means …

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Blauwbrug

The Blauwbrug is a historic bridge in Amsterdam spanning the river Amstel and connecting the Rembrandtplein and Waterlooplein areas. The bridge lends its name from a 17th-century blue wooden bridge …

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Rembrandtplein

Rembrandtplein is a historic small square between Amstel & Herengracht containing cafes, hotels, bars, nightclubs. It is named after the world-famous Dutch artist Rembrandt. The Rembrandtplein square dates back to the middle-ages when …

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