Documentary (short version - 09:45 min.)
", "slug": "the-making-of", "id": 32, "title": "The Making Of"}, {"gallery_id": 8, "title": "Interior", "id": 24, "content": "The so called style rooms on the bel-étage (formal floor) were specifically built for official welcomes and events in noblemen manors since the 17th century. The rooms were representative of the owners status and importance. These style rooms have been very well preserved. They show us the result of the proud owners which occupied Herengracht 386 for four centuries.
", "gallery_type": 0, "slug": "interior"}, {"gallery_id": 6, "title": "Garden", "id": 25, "content": "The design of the garden of Het Grachtenhuis reflects its origin as a 'keurblok'. A keur is a statute and a keurblok is a block of houses defined by such a decree. A statute adopted in 1615 determined that industries could not be located on the plots between the Herengracht and the Keizersgracht. It also stipulated that a substantial percentage of each plot would have to be devoted to garden space and that these plots could not be subdivided into smaller units although the owner could have a summerhouse or a children’s playhouse built at the end of the garden. The result of the statute was thus the keurblok: legally protected inner gardens between the Herengracht and the Keizersgracht. These protected gardens make up much of the green space in this section of the city and are crucially important for the strong visual impression and beauty of Amsterdam’s canals. They are also living proof that this part of the ring of canals was devised by the same people who were going to live there. Each house, garden and summerhouse is an inseparable unit. The best place to see this unity is from the rooms overlooking the garden at the back of the house.
", "gallery_type": 0, "slug": "garden"}, {"gallery_id": 10, "title": "Architect", "id": 26, "content": "Philips Vingboons (1607-1678), contemporary of Rembrandt and Newton, was and still is recognized as one of the most important architects in the history of Amsterdam.
\r\nVingboons was raised in an artistically gifted family. His father, David Vingboons, was a famous painter and engraver. His brothers, Pieter, Johannes en Justus were cartographers, engravers and architects. In 1637, Vingboons started his independent career as an architect. In several parts of Amsterdam he built houses for a mixed clientele: governors, rich merchants, industrialists and also for the rising middle class.
\r\nIn 1648 Vingboons published his first architecture book, with in it etchings of his best designs. Because of his book Vingboons was known by noblemen from outside Amsterdam. In the whole Dutch Republic, Vingboons designed many manors for wealthy noblemen.
", "gallery_type": 0, "slug": "architect"}, {"gallery_id": 9, "title": "History", "id": 23, "content": "\"If history matters to you, start here for a solid grounding of the city's past.\"
Europe guide, April 2011
Between 1663 and approximately 1665, the successful merchant Karel Gerards has his stately house built on the Herengracht, the canal in Amsterdam belonging to the Rulers of the city. Since then, the Herengracht 386 has accommodated many prominent merchants and bankers like Pieter Pels and Jan Willink. In the rooms of this building many important transactions took place with Russian aristocracy, French kings and the upper class from the United States.
\r\nThe best known transactions, and probably the most substantial ones, are those of Jan Willink with the government of the United States. Willink supported the American government during the War of Independence for many years with credit loans and stocks. Until 1794, the United States were to borrow more than 30 million from Willink and other banking houses, an astronomical figure for that time.
", "gallery_type": 0, "slug": "history"}], "page": {"gallery_id": 12, "title": "Building", "id": 22, "content": "building content
", "gallery_type": 1, "slug": "building"}}}