In august 2010 the Amsterdam Canal belt was added as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Experience Amsterdam like never before and relax as you enjoy the spectacular sights. The nautical speed limit is 7.5 miles per hour. The reason for the canals being shaped in arches rather than clean cut and sectioned lines, is that the canal system and city expanded from the middle of the once swampland – this was during the 1640’s – and the growth effected the arch-like shape of each extension. They’re drilled into the wet soil and constantly exposed to water. If the alarm ever goes off, the vaults are flooded. I couldn’t believe this fact when I heard it. 25. Rest assured the water throughout the Amsterdam canals is getting cleaner all the time with every passing year! These canals, houses and little streets of the canal district have become more and more precious throughout the ages. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. Mostly the period of construction for canal houses was during the 16th and 17th centuries – as you tour the city most of the houses show these dates on the front. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. Known to locals as De Neg... Read more. We take your privacy very seriously, please see our privacy policy for more information on privacy and data. As well as, Waternet which ensures all the time that the water be cleaned as much as possible, and that canal gates be opened in order to refresh the water. It was actually a governing body of noble lords who first had the idea to drain the areas and create more room to grow Amsterdam. The canals are also home to 2,500 barges. We’ll explain some Amsterdam canals facts that are pretty cool to know. All these canals come under the seventeenth-century canal ring area of Amsterdam. These Dutch lords were called heren regeerders, and were quite long-term wealthy residents of the city – they managed and directed the draining and expansion, and soon the canals developed all over. More than 30.000 bicycles end up in Amsterdam’s canals each year! The Amsterdam canals are lined with crooked houses Most houses in the historical center are crooked. Departs near the Central Station of Amsterdam! However, the lean of each house has been dramatically altered in later years due to the failure of soft ground and weak wooden foundations – this has caused each of the canal houses to lean extremely more than they once would have. The currency converter is for information purposes only and should not be relied upon as accurate and real time; actual rates may vary. There is no wondering why this city is referred to as ‘Venice of the North’ its because there are 165 canals throughout it, the total length which totals around 31 entire miles! Built during the Golden Age of the 17th century, Amsterdam’s Canal Ring, known locally as the Grachtengordel, is comprised of a network of intersecting waterways. Hello again! As well, there is a length limit – 12 meters in length – which all boats must be at or under in order to enter Amsterdam. 8) Although it’s not recommended because of hidden hazards below the surface of the water (like bikes), people do sometimes swim in the murky Amsterdam canals. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. Trick question! Andrew Dedman 0 Comments Amsterdam Canals, Amsterdam facts There are many things that come to mind when conjuring images of Amsterdam. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Anyhow, there are certain facts about the beautiful canals, which most of the people are unaware of, and they are listed below. 10) The historic canal belt (‘Grachtengordel’ in Dutch) is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. ; The longest canal in the UK is the Grand Union Canal, stretching 137 miles from London to Birmingham.Cruising the whole length, non-stop, would take you 74 hours. Read more about cookies in our cookie policy. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. 1) Amsterdam was founded in the 13th century (around 1250) as a small fishing village. The main reason is the wooden poles, which hold the constructions. Around 80 of these bridges are located in the historic canal ring. In fact, around 2010 the Canal Ring (also called Grachtengordel) was recognized as a world-acclaimed monument. 7) The Dutch love to cycle and there are more than 800,000 bicycles in Amsterdam. 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