To travel you will have to physically move. But by staring at a map, you can virtually cover great distances. You go one step further when you see old maps. You can even travel back in time with the hand-drawn or painted city maps of Amsterdam from the 16th and 17th centuries.
The development of the medieval city of Amsterdam can be followed beautifully on the basis of the impressive map book Maps of Amsterdam 1538-1865, that was recently published by Thoth Publishers. The oldest topographical map dates from 1538:a painting by Cornelis Anthonisz., looking at Amsterdam in a south-westerly direction. The early 16th century was also the time of the Flemish cartographers Ortelius and Mercator.
Amsterdam is the most portrayed of all cities in the world. Due to the travels of the VOC and the need to get to know and master the world, many maps were made in the 17th century, especially in the northern regions. Atlases and maps were often showpieces at that time, intended for an elite. Amsterdam developed a veritable 'card industry'. Even after the 17th century, when the power of the Netherlands collapses, there is a need for city plans due to urban expansion.
Atlas Major
The greatest mapmaker of the Golden Age, Blaeu, was based in Amsterdam. The mapmakers got their information from the captains of the VOC. In 1662 Blaeu's son made the Atlas Major, in 9 volumes, with 600 maps and 3000 pages. Willem III bought a copy, executed in gold with leather. Blaeu himself trained captains for the VOC. Much knowledge about the overseas territories did not end up in the atlases, but remained secret in order to maintain a lead over competing countries.
City Expansion
In the 17th century, the city experienced a rapid development:the population grew rapidly and the city was the center of worldwide trade. Partly due to the need for new fortifications, it was decided to expand the city:the current ring of canals. We are still reaping the benefits of that. First, the western part of the city was tackled. The old city wall was demolished, where the Herengracht is now located. Due to wars and unrest, the construction of the south and southeastern part of the canal belt was delayed.
Farmers became peat farmers
Although merchant ships dominate on 17th-century maps, the townscape must have been mainly determined by ships that brought in peat. Peat – dried peat – was the fuel of the Golden Age. The farmers earned more from this brown gold than to livestock. In Amsterdam, the demand for “dried peat blubber” was insatiable. The peat landscape around Amsterdam was excavated and this is how the 'nature areas' as we know them today:the Vinkeveense Plassen and the Ronde Hoep.
400 years of the canal belt
That Maps of Amsterdam 1538-1865 now appears is not accidental. Although the construction of the canal belt took many decades, it is now celebrated that the Amsterdam canal belt has existed for 400 years. Until last month, the Amsterdam City Archives had an exhibition about the rapid growth of the capital in the 17th century under the title:Booming Amsterdam. A beautiful film was made about this, the view from the sky from different perspectives. Hopefully the film will be available on the internet soon…
The only problem with this pretty card book, which weighs three pounds to the top, is where to put it or put it if you're not in a hold (canals). ) property lives!