The Prinsengracht, Amsterdam's longest main canal, was built in 1612 as part of the Golden Age canal expansion, named for the Prince of Orange, forming the outermost ring of the iconic UNESCO World Heritage canal belt. It served crucial functions for water transport, housing, and trade, with warehouses lining its banks, and it remains famous today for its beautiful merchant houses and historical sites.
Initially, the house belonged to the family of one of the colonial merchants, with the commercial space on the ground floor. Many different businesses were presented there during the centuries: spices, a custom hats salon, and the famous hair salon of Mario. In the 20th century, the canal house was purchased by the lawyer’s firm, with the upstairs apartment. Unfortunately, the house was completely refurbished in the 80s and lost all its historical features, such as stone fireplaces, wooden dividers in the foyer, and more.
Prinsebgracht view in the pre-war years.
Prinsengracht in the 1960s.
The original blueprint from the National Archive / Amsterdam.
The canal view at the beginning of the 21st century.
DEMOLITION / STAGE 1
INTERIORS RENOVATION / STAGE 2
FINISHED PROJECT / STAGE 3
