Het Scheepvaartmuseum is a Dutch museum on the Kattenburgerplein 1 in Amsterdam about shipping and maritime history. It is housed in the building of the former 's Lands Zeemagazijn and contains the second largest maritime collection in the world. It specializes in the maritime history of the Netherlands.
The monumental building dates from 1656 and was designed by Daniel Stalpaert as a warehouse for the Admiralty of Amsterdam. Cannons, sails, flags and ship's equipment for the war fleet were stored in the warehouse. In the barrel vaults under the courtyard some 40,000 liters of rainwater were collected for the drinking water supply of the ships.
The Zeemagazijn was built on 2300 piles, but in spite of this the building subsided. Buttresses and extra risalites had to prevent further subsidence or even collapse. In 1791 the building burned down, except for the stone walls. The blackened brick facades disappeared under a layer of plaster that was supposed to represent blocks of sandstone.
In 1795 Napoleon Bonaparte invaded the country and the Batavian Republic was founded. The five Admiralties were dissolved and replaced by a national navy. The Marine warehouse became a warehouse for the Navy. This remained so until the early seventies of the 20th century.
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Netherlands
Netherlands
Netherlands
Netherlands
Netherlands
Netherlands
Netherlands
Germany
Netherlands
Germany
Netherlands
Germany