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Information, history, Art and Culture of the Jordaan at Amsterdam Netherlands
The Jordaan was build at the large expansion of Amsterdam in early 17th century, as a district for the working class and emigrants. The population increase during the next centuries was enormously, caused by the stream political refugees like protestant Fleming, Spanish and Portuguese Jews and French Huguenots who mainly settled in the Jordaan. It was a poor district with small houses and slums, every little room stuffed with families and lots of children. The entire area was one ghetto with open sewers, canals served for both transport and sewer, and no running water. Around 1900 there lived about 80 thousand people, nowadays about 20 thousand.
Rembrandt
The famous 17th century Dutch writer Joost van den
Vondel and photographer Breitner lived in the Jordaan. Artists, like the
painter Rembrandt van Rijn in his lesser successful period, also came
living in the Jordaan because of the low rents. The house of Rembrandt
was on the Rozengracht (Rose canal, still a real canal these days). His
studio was on the Bloemgracht (Flower canal). The famous painter was buried
in a poor mans grave in the Westerkerk (West church).
Monument Care
During the seventieth of the 20th century the city
council had serious plans to mainly demolish big parts of the district
and replace them for large ugly blocks of modern buildings. There where
many protests against this idea. City protectors, such as Monument Care,
where against the loss of the historical town and the people of the Jordaan
feared for large rent increases. Thanks to this resistance the plan was
modified, there came small-scale projects which would repair the neighborhood,
without damaging its original character.
Strolling
A large renovation was started. By then the district
was discovered by a new generation occupants: artists, students, and young
entrepreneurs. The old inhabitants moved to other neighborhoods and cities
like Almere. Partly by these new inhabitants the Jordaan has changed from
a slum area to a district for artist, still living on low rent, and the
rich who bought the very expensive renovated houses. Nowadays the Jordaan
is compared to the rest of the town an oasis of peace with a labyrinth
of narrow streets and little canals, nice for strolling around courtyards,
art studios, and monumental buildings with stone tablets, old-fashioned
‘brown’ pubs, boutiques or galleries.
Markets
There are also some markets in this area. Saturdays
you will find the Lindenmarkt (Lime market), a general market, on the
Lindengracht (Lime canal) and a biological food market on the Noordermarkt
(North market). Mondays you have a flea market at the Noordermarkt and
a market on the Westerstraat (West street) with nice fabrics. On the Noordermarkt
you can visit the Noorderkerk (North church), designed by Hendrick de
Keyser in the 17th century.
Noorderkerk
Many people think that the Westerkerk (West church)
on the Westermarkt is the main church of the Jordaan. It’s true
that you can hear its carillon and see the beautiful Westertoren (West
tower) everywhere in the neighborhood and that the Jordaanfestival is
located on his square, but the church is actually located just outside
the Jordaan. So the main church of the Jordaan is the Noorderkerk. The
Noorderkerk was built in the northern part in 1620-1623 by Hendrick de
Keyser and his son Pieter. The church is still in use as a Protestant
church, and like the Westerkerk open to everyone, especially during concerts.
Art studios
Hundreds of artist discovered the Jordaan in the
70th because of the low rent of houses in these little streets. The lucky
ones are renting a studio in one of these beautiful inner courtyards of
the neighborhood. Every two years the artist organize a so called ‘open
studio event’. During these days visitors can have a look in the
‘kitchens’ of the artist. There is also a permanent ornamental
route called ‘Jewels in the Jordaan’. Past charming alleyways
and picturesque canals it leads to gold- and silversmiths.
courtyards
The Jordaan has a high concentration of hofjes (inner
courtyards), beautiful yards with little houses, many of them with restored
houses and peaceful gardens. These courtyards were build by rich people
for older women; a kind of charity and protection. Beginning of the 70th
most of these courtyards was in a very bad shape, like the rest of the
neighborhood. After there restoration they were discovered by artist,
students and still some older people with special privileges because of
a church membership. Some of the courtyards are closed to the public,
and only opened on special days called 'open monuments days'. But if you
do come across one of the entrances, and it is unlocked, most residents
won't mind if you sneak a quiet peek. During the summer some of these
yards are opened on Sundays during free concerts called ‘hofjesconcerts’.
Stone tablets
Many houses in the Jordaan have a stone tablet,
a stone sign that shows the profession or family sign of the inhabitants.
For instance a butcher showed a pig and a tailor a pair of scissors, carved
in a stone above the entry. During a walk it’s a pleasure to observe
those beautiful, when renovated colorful, antique signs. The first stone
tablets are made in the 16th century, when citizens were ordered to use
these tablets instead of big wooden gables that obstructed the traffic
in these narrow streets.
Musea
Most of the musea in the Jordaan are small. You
have the Pianola museum with old mechanical pianos, a literate museum
Theo Thijssen, a houseboat museum, and a fluorescent museum called Electric
Lady Land. Just on the boarder of the Jordaan you can find the Anne Frank
House on the Prinsengracht (Prince canal).
