Night falls at the Amsterdam Singel by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About "Night falls at the Amsterdam Singel"

by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About the artwork

The Singel is an Amsterdam canal, running from the IJ to the Muntplein, where it flows into the Binnen Amstel.

The Singel was dug from the IJ to the Boerenwetering around 1428. The remaining part to the Amstel followed around 1450. Until the city enlargement of about 1585, the Singel formed the western city boundary. From 1481, the earthen wall was replaced by a stone wall. At that time, the Singel was also called Stedegracht.

In the 17th century, the Singel was temporarily called Koningsgracht in honour of King Henry IV of France, an important ally of the Republic at the time. Koningsplein is a reminder of this. The part of the Singel from the Round Lutheran Church to Lijnbaanssteeg where the ships bound for London, the 'Londoners', had their berths, was also called London Quay and English Quay.

The Torensluis lock from 1648 is the oldest preserved and the widest bridge in the entire inner city. This Bridge 9 - at the level of Oude Leliestraat - is so wide because the Jan Roodenpoort tower, demolished in 1829, stood here. The tower's dungeons are still part of the bridgehead. In the cobbles on the bridge, the contours of the former tower have been made recognisable since 2003.

The Muntsluis under Muntplein is the last bridge before the Singel flows into the Amstel. In the system of numbering Amsterdam's bridges, it is the first, bridge 1.