The house occupies a unique position on the small bend of the Herengracht canal. You can see its curved façade which follows the line of the canal.

Huis Bartolotti was originally commissioned by the wealthy merchant Willem Bartolotti and was designed by prominent Dutch architect Hendrick de Keyser.

Construction was completed in 1620 and it became one of the grandest merchant houses in Amsterdam during the so-called Golden Age. It is built from distinctive orange bricks in Dutch Renaissance style with ornate stone carvings and a stepped gable.

Three generations of the Bartolotti family lived in the house although the house was split into 2 sections in the late 17th century. An entire rear house was added during the 18th century.

Both parts of the house were effectively acquired in the 20th century by Hendrick de Keyser Monumenten, a charitable organisation which oversees around 480 historic buildings throughout the Netherlands.

It has carried out a number of extensive restorations on the building over the years. It was the organisations’s headquarters for some time and in 2018 the Huis Bartolotti was opened as a museum.

The museum is spread across 3 floors. Much of the house is furnished from the 18th and 19th centuries and features Louis XIV and Louis XV decoration with extensive use of mahogany.

On the ground floor is the beautiful front room which hosts the museum reception desk. The room is adorned with landscape wall paintings by Isaac de Moucheron and two grisaille paintings by Jacob de Wit.

Side note: de Wit paintings can be seen in other canal houses in Amsterdam: Art Zoo, Huis Marseille and Willet-Holthuysen House

A detailed scale model of the house in the front room shows the layout of the building.

Step through to the classy and exquisite back room which has some Bartolotti family portraits hanging on the wall.

Heading further on to the rear, the attractive Garden Room (tuinkamer) has a centrepiece indoor marble wall fountain. Try to find the concealed hand pump which operates the water.

Downstairs is the large period kitchen where complimentary tea and coffee are available for visitors to enjoy around the kitchen table.

From here you can access the enclosed garden, where the resident cat is often found relaxing in the shade of ancient trees. Unlike the Museum Van Loon, there is no coach house at Huis Bartolotti.

The upper floor contains the elegant reception room which was used for entertaining guests and the more sparse servants’ quarters.

A handheld audio tour is included in both Dutch and English. Volunteers are also available throughout the house to answer questions and provide additional information about its history and former residents.

Families can pick up a children’s scavenger hunt (speurtocht) from reception which encourages younger visitors to explore the rooms.

The house can also be hired for private events and functions. Note, being a 17th century house with steep staircases means the building is not wheelchair accessible.

Huis Bartolotti offers one of the more informal canal house visits in Amsterdam. With its impressive architecture, richly decorated interiors and hands-on approach it makes for an enjoyable alternative to some of the city’s larger museums.

Hus Bartolotti Amsterdam Essential Info

This article was first published on 13 July 2026.

Links on AmsterdamTips.com may pay us an affiliate commission.

The post Huis Bartolotti Amsterdam: Visit the Historic Canal House Museum appeared first on AmsterdamTips.com.

The Beguines were a devout Catholic sisterhood of single women who wished not take monastic vows but devoted their lives to helping the sick and elderly.

Beguines have been located at this spot in Amsterdam since the 14th century although the last Beguine died in 1971. Today the Beginhof is occupied by around 100 women.

The Beginhof in Amsterdam has a tranquil and hidden feel about it as it’s not obviously accessible – although it is widely mentioned in guidebooks and there is always a flow of visitors coming through.

There are two main grass courtyards – the larger Grote Hof on the north side has a statue of Jesus Christ whilst the smaller Kleine Hof  has a statue of a Beguine.

The main feature of the Begijnhof is the English Reformed Church (Engelse kerk) located at the south side which is one of the oldest buildings in the city.

Made of brick and stone, it was built at the end of the 15th century after the original Begijnhof wooden church (consecrated in 1419) subsequently burnt down in 1421.

It was eventually given over to English-speaking worshippers in Amsterdam in 1607. Since then the multi-national congregation has continued to this day, except for a short period during German occupation in the Second World War.

The church is Presbyterian and has strong links to the Church of Scotland.

Services at the English Reformed Church are held each Sunday at 1030. The church also hosts regular concerts.

It contains stained glass depictions of the Pilgrim fathers who probably worshiped at the church before leaving for the New World. The church also has 2 fine organs and a beautiful wooden pulpit designed by Piet Mondriaan and carved by Edema van der Tuuk.

In February 2007 a special 400th anniversary church service was held, attended by the late Queen Elizabeth and then Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

On the opposite side there is the smaller Begijnhof chapel (Begijnhofkapel, built in 1671) where Catholics and Beguines attended in secret up until 1795. Inside there are panels which tell the story of the Miracle of Amsterdam.

Masses are held at the chapel on Sunday at 10:00 (Dutch) and 11:15 (French). Also at 09:00 and 17:00 (Mon-Fri) and at 09:00 (Sat).

The picturesque courtyard contains a garden area surrounded by traditional houses built from the 16th century onwards. The Wooden House (het Houten Huis) at number 34 is the oldest wooden house in Amsterdam dating from 1528. It was restored in 1956-57.

Round the corner of the Wooden House are 8 religious-themed façade stones (gevelstenen) on the back wall. These were installed in 1961 and come from other houses in Amsterdam. A plaque gives some info about each stone.

The Begijnhof Shop is found to the right of the chapel and sells religious ornaments. It is open 13:00-17:00 (Tue-Sat).

The Begijnhof is located near Spui square in the centre of Amsterdam. The entrance is on the Gedempte Beginensloot side street (on the eastern side reached either walking up from from Spui or coming from Kalverstraat onto Begijnensteeg).

The entrance is often staffed by stewards wearing green jackets.

The southern entrance door on Spui has been made inaccessible to visitors.

There is a diagram plan of the Begijnhof found on the wall in the entrance alley with some information.

Please bear in mind that silence is requested. The Begijnhof is private property and large tour groups (more than 12 people) are not officially permitted. Some of the walkways are gated off and are for residents only.

At just a block away from one of the busiest shopping streets in Amsterdam, the Begijnhof is a picturesque and peaceful place to spend a few moments.

Begijnhof Amsterdam Essential Info

This article was originally published in 2010. Last checked and updated 2 July 2026.

Links on AmsterdamTips.com may pay us an affiliate commission.

The post Begijnhof in Amsterdam appeared first on AmsterdamTips.com.

The archive is housed in an imposing former bank building known as De Bazel on Vijzelstraat in the centre of Amsterdam.

The building was designed by Dutch architect Karel de Bazel and was completed in 1926. Its brick expressionist style was common in buildings during the 1920s in the Netherlands and Germany.

The building was the original headquarters of NHM (Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij, the Netherlands Trading Society). It was then an office for Algemene Bank which became part of ABN-AMRO bank.

In 1999 the building was purchased by the city and was transformed into the city archives, opening in 2007.

For centuries the Dutch have been prolific record keepers and it’s no surprise that the Stadsarchief Amsterdam has one of the largest city archive collections in the world, with some 50km of archives.

Due to its size, a proportion of the archive has been relocated to a new depot building in Amsterdam Noord.

You can enter the Amsterdam Stadsarchief building from the entrance on Vijzelstraat and head into the main hall on the ground floor (level 0). A glass roof gives the hall some much needed natural light.

This main space often has a free poster-style exhibition about Amsterdam. There is also a reception desk and information centre behind.

If you head left, there is an exhibit (Werelderfgoed Podium) about all UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Netherlands. This includes Amsterdam’s historic canal district which was given the status in 2010.

Further down the hall is a bookshop which has many interesting items about Amsterdam (mostly in Dutch) and at the end of the hall there is a separate room which hosts temporary exhibitions.

At the other end of the main hall you can find Café De Bazel and a study room.

The basement levels hold a film theatre (showing Amsterdam-themed footage) and the 2 floor Treasure Room (Schatkamer) was the former bank vault. This showcases a permanent collection of documents and photos about the city.

The upper floors of the Stadsarchief are generally not open to the public.

Private guided tours of the building can be arranged in advance at a cost of €95 (for up to 20 people). There is also a walk-in tour in Dutch (€10, free for children 0-16) at 14:00 on Sundays.

The Stadsarchief is certainly worth popping in for a visit to appreciate the 1920s Amsterdam architecture and the chance to walk inside a former bank vault.

Stadsarchief Essential Info

This article was first published in 2019. Last checked and updated 23 June 2026.

Links on AmsterdamTips.com may pay us an affiliate commission.

The post Stadsarchief – Amsterdam City Archives appeared first on AmsterdamTips.com.

The church originally dates from the 14th century when the growing city of Amsterdam needed a second church from the Oude Kerk (Old Church).

The Nieuwe Kerk was subsequently damaged by fire a number of times – in 1645 it was rebuilt in Gothic style after almost being destroyed – and this is what can be seen today along with some renovations from the 19th and 20th century.

The Nieuwe Kerk is used for royal weddings and inaugurations. On April 30th 2013 it was the site of the investiture of Dutch King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima, who were also married in the church in 2002.

Highlights inside the church include:

• the magnificent Great Organ from 1655
• the grand brass choir screen
• stained glass windows dating as far back as the mid-17th century
• the hundreds of grave slabs on the floor (some 10,000 corpses are buried below the church)
• the tomb/crypt of distinguished Dutch admiral Michiel De Ruyter (1607-1676) who amongst many notable achievements managed to free 26 Hungarian slaves.

The annual timetable of the Nieuwe Kerk looks generally like this:

World Press Photo – World Premiere at Nieuwe Kerk

The annual exhibition contest of international photojournalism. The World Press Photo foundation (founded in 1955) is based in Amsterdam and has held the exhibition at the Nieuwe Kerk from 1982-1999 and 2014-present. It normally runs from mid-April to mid-September.

World Press Photo Exhibition 2026 runs 24 Apr to 27 Sep 2026.

Remembrance Day Service

The Netherlands observes Remembrance Day each May 4th to commemorate the victims of World War 2. There is a televised service held at Nieuwe Kerk followed by a ceremony on Dam Square with a nationwide two minute silence at 8pm.

Major Nieuwe Kerk exhibition

Autumn sees the Nieuwe Kerk put on a major themed exhibition usually about a culture or a noted individual. This normally runs October to early April.

Past exhibits have included Ming. Emperors, Artists and Merchants in Ancient China (2013-14), Magical Africa (2014-15), Rome. Emperor Constantine’s Dream (2015-16), Marilyn: 90 Years Miss Monroe (2016-17), We Have a Dream: Gandhi, Luther-King, Mandela (2017-18), The Life of Buddha, the Path to the Present (2018-19), The Great Suriname Exhibition (2019-20), Maison Amsterdam (2021-22), The Century of Juliana, a Queen and her Ideals (2022-23), The Great Indonesia Exhibition (2023-24), Mokum, the biography of Jewish Amsterdam (2025-26).

In 2026-27 the exhibition is Queer Amsterdam, the Pink City major LGBT-themed exhibition. Runs 9 Jul 2026 to 4 Apr 2027.

Evening organ concerts are held monthly (or twice monthly) on Tuesday evenings.

In terms of facilities, there is a small museum shop in the church selling books, cards and gifts.

There is the popular ‘t Nieuwe Cafe next door with a large outer terrace on Dam Square.

The Nieuwe Kerk is a beautiful historic building located in the very heart of Amsterdam and worth visiting in its own right. It hosts various exhibitions during the year which may be of further interest to the visitor.

Nieuwe Kerk Essential Info

This article was first published in 2010. Last checked and updated 23 June 2026.

Links on AmsterdamTips.com may pay us an affiliate commission.

The post Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam appeared first on AmsterdamTips.com.