The Montelbaanstoren in Amsterdam.
The Montelbaanstoren is an Amsterdam tower from 1516 at Oudeschans 2.
The name came about because the Duke of Alva (Alba) wanted to build a castle near this tower, and named it Monte Albano.
The tower was then renamed "Monte-Albaens-tooren" which became popularly corrupted to Montelbaanstoren.
The Montelbaanstoren was built after an attack by the Duke of Gelre on the Lastage (in which it was completely burnt down) as a watchtower over the Zuiderzee. For this purpose, a new moat was partly dug on the east side, today's Oude Schans. Where this approached the IJ, a watchtower was erected as part of Amsterdam's fortifications.
Don Fonzarelli is a photographer and musician born and raised in the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Don Fonzarelli is the alias of Fons van der Wielen(1961).. Read more…