A canon is something you should see as a source of inspiration but also as an overview of what has taken place in the past. Also, a few relationships have come to light on some events that have in the past been understated. Now, for all those who are still thinking we are talking about a piece of artillery, we are not. This is about the history and one of the ways the city has chosen to portray it.
The canon of Amsterdam comprises fifty windows about Amsterdam and its history.
History is at its best when it’s tangible when you can actually see what happened, you’ve read about it in the canon and when you visit the spot where the event took place you can see visible evidence of the subject that was mentioned. Monuments play an important part in this. The commission that created the canon choose the following subjects:
- the physical development of the city
- the development of the community in the city
- the administration of the city and the organization of the community
- the economic development
- the relationship of the city towards The Netherlands and the rest of the world
Themes
Every window tells its own story but they’re also connected to each other, the themes complement the main points and subjects chooses and which the canon was to portray, namely:
- The city
- the community
- the administration
- The economy
- The world
The development of Dam square around the year 1200 is the chosen point of departure. by way of the miracle of Amsterdam, the V.O.C., the canals, the Westerchurch, the Night watch, the royal palace, the Vondelpark, the airport, the Olympic games, WW2, the murder of Theo of Gogh we finally come to The Amsterdam Internet Exchange.
The complete canon of Amsterdam consists of:
1200
Dam
Dam Square AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1275
Toll privileges and city rights
Municipal rights Amsterdam on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1345
The Miracle of Amsterdam
The miracle on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1421
The city fires
Th city fire of 1421 (and the one in 1452!) on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1482
The city walls
The city wall of Amsterdam on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1485
The oldest account book
The oldest account book on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1535
The anabaptist revolt
The anabaptist revolt on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1578
The alteration (conversion)
The alteration on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1596
The Amsterdam house of correction
The detention centre on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1602
The Dutch East India Company.
The Dutch East India Company on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1609
The exchange bank
The Amsterdam exchange bank on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1612
The ring of canals
The ring of canals on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1617
The Spanish Brabander
The Spanish Brabander on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1631
The Wester church
The Wester tower on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
De Wester church on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1632
Athenaeum Illustre
The ‘illustere school’ on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1642
The Night watch
Rembrandt of Rijn on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1648
Town hall
Town hall on Dam Square on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1662
The Blaeu firm
Blaeu on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1671
High German and Portuguese synagogues
The High German and Portuguese synagogues on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1683
The Society of Suriname
The Society of Suriname on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1700
Country houses
Country houses on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1762
Banking house Hope & Co
Hope & Co on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1777
Felix Meritis
Felix Meritis on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1808
The Palace on dam Square
The royal palace on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1828
Algemeen Handelsblad newspaper
Het Algemeen Handelsblad on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1838
Artis, the zoo
Artis on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1864
Palace for Volksvlijt
Palace for Volksvlijt on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1876
North sea canal
The North sea canal on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1885
Vondelpark and Museum square
The Vondelpark on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1890
Kees de jongen
Theo Thijssen and Kees de jongen on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1894
A.N.D.B.
Diamonds and the ANDB on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1896
Gas- and Water socialism
Gas- and Water socialism on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1900
De Pijp
De Pijp on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1917
Amsterdam-South
Amsterdam-South on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1919
Schiphol airport
Schiphol on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1927
Café ‘t Mandje
Café ‘t Mandje on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1928
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1934
The general expansion plan
The general expansion plan on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1934
The Jordaan Insurrection
The Jordaan Insurrection on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1938
Ships from the North on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1940
Murdering Jews
The persecution of Amsterdamse Jewry on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1945
The Hunger winter
The hunger winter on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1950
The Wester tower
The Wester tower on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
The Wester church on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1960
The Red Light District
The Red Light District on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1965
Het Lieverdje(The darling, the dear)
Het Lieverdje on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1968
The Bijlmermeer
The Bijlmer on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
1970
Number 14
Johan Cruijff, number 14, on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
2001
The Dappermarkt
Markets on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
2004
The murder of Theo of Gogh
Theo of Gogh on AMSTERDAM TOURISM
2008
Amsterdam Internet Exchange
Amsterdam Internet Exchange on WIKIPEDIA
The Canon of Amsterdam tells its story by way of recalling events. The final analysis that historians and politicians always try portray about Amsterdam is that its always been a very tolerant city. A city that was always taking in those persecuted elsewhere.
What surprises me about the Canon is that it fails to mention anything about the Nieuwmarkt riots about the metro, nothing about the riots that took place about the partial demolition of the Waterlooplein (fleamarket) nothing about building the Stopera (combination town hall and operahouse) and nothing about the North-South underground as well. There was something about the Dappermarkt, the Blaeu firm and the Suriname club, things that nobody knows or cares about.
In the end we must conclude that the Canon of Amsterdam is valuable and that it does contain information the citizens of this city should be aware of and that it is of historical value.
Links
To see the various windows (in Dutch) in the Canon of Amsterdam: CLICK HERE
For those who wish to see the sequence AT5 broadcasted (in Dutch): CLICK HERE
If you wish to download the elucidation (in Dutch) on the Canon of Amsterdam: CLICK HERE
