| The History |
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The Marnixkade is located on the Singel Gracht (Gracht=Canal) at
the edge of Amsterdam’s historic centre. The word Singel
roughly translates to “en-circling canal”. As Amsterdam grew, it
was necessary to dig a new “Singel.” On one of these last canals
that Amsterdam’s city walls were built. Along this fortified wall,
portals were constructed around the city with bridges that
provided access to the city during the day.
After the Napoleonic period and the changes in Europe’s political
and social structures, city walls became an anachronism, with
little value in terms of defense and control. In order to
accommodate the increasing need for housing in Amsterdam the
last of Amsterdam’s city walls was torn down in the middle of the
19th century. It was on this site that the houses along the
Marnixkade were built in 1876 – including the current structure in
which the Marnixkade Canalview Apartments are located. These
dwellings were tenements for Amsterdam’s increasing number of
industrial workers. Far from their current level of luxury, the
original dwellings housed two families on each floor. Each of
these one-room apartments had two bed-sits (beds built into the
wall usually with wooden doors, with one bed for the parents and
one bed for all the children. There was a place to cook, but no
toilet and no bathing facilities.
In the 1930’s many of these tenement buildings were dramatically
renovated. The two apartments on each floor were merged to
form one larger apartment and central plumbing for toilets and
kitchens with sinks were added. The stained glass windows and
sliding doors you will see in the apartments date from this period
of renovation.
Showers and baths were actually an addition from later dates.
While nearly every apartment in Amsterdam now has a bath or
shower, Until just a few years ago, Amsterdam still had bath
houses that were built in the early 19th century to promote public
hygiene in a city where a private bath was a luxury only the
wealthy could afford.
In the early 1990’s the current owners bought the property, and
have since renovated the apartments step-by-step since then.
In renovating the apartments an effort has been made to include
modern conveniences while maintaining some of the historical
charm from the original buildings.
the edge of Amsterdam’s historic centre. The word Singel
roughly translates to “en-circling canal”. As Amsterdam grew, it
was necessary to dig a new “Singel.” On one of these last canals
that Amsterdam’s city walls were built. Along this fortified wall,
portals were constructed around the city with bridges that
provided access to the city during the day.
After the Napoleonic period and the changes in Europe’s political
and social structures, city walls became an anachronism, with
little value in terms of defense and control. In order to
accommodate the increasing need for housing in Amsterdam the
last of Amsterdam’s city walls was torn down in the middle of the
19th century. It was on this site that the houses along the
Marnixkade were built in 1876 – including the current structure in
which the Marnixkade Canalview Apartments are located. These
dwellings were tenements for Amsterdam’s increasing number of
industrial workers. Far from their current level of luxury, the
original dwellings housed two families on each floor. Each of
these one-room apartments had two bed-sits (beds built into the
wall usually with wooden doors, with one bed for the parents and
one bed for all the children. There was a place to cook, but no
toilet and no bathing facilities.
In the 1930’s many of these tenement buildings were dramatically
renovated. The two apartments on each floor were merged to
form one larger apartment and central plumbing for toilets and
kitchens with sinks were added. The stained glass windows and
sliding doors you will see in the apartments date from this period
of renovation.
Showers and baths were actually an addition from later dates.
While nearly every apartment in Amsterdam now has a bath or
shower, Until just a few years ago, Amsterdam still had bath
houses that were built in the early 19th century to promote public
hygiene in a city where a private bath was a luxury only the
wealthy could afford.
In the early 1990’s the current owners bought the property, and
have since renovated the apartments step-by-step since then.
In renovating the apartments an effort has been made to include
modern conveniences while maintaining some of the historical
charm from the original buildings.
