Reflection in the Prinsengracht near the Westertoren in Amsterdam by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About "Reflection in the Prinsengracht near the Westertoren in Amsterdam"

by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About the artwork

The Prinsengracht in Amsterdam is a canal that runs parallel to the Keizersgracht in Amsterdam-Centre. The canal, named after the Prince of Orange, is the fourth of the four main canals in the ring of canals.

Construction began in 1612, on the initiative of Mayor Frans Hendrickszoon Oetgens, based on a design by city carpenter Hendrick Jacobszoon Staets and city surveyor Lucas Jansz Sinck. The section between Leidsegracht and Amstel was added in 1658. With the last expansion the part east of the Amstel was laid out. This part was called Nieuwe Prinsengracht. The extension of Prinsengracht, between Brouwersgracht and Westerdok, is called Korte Prinsengracht.

The Westerkerk in Amsterdam is a church at Prinsengracht 279-281, on the Westermarkt, on the edge of the Jordaan. The originally Nederduits Gereformeerde and since 1816 Nederlands Hervormde Westerkerke congregation is part of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands since 2004. The Westerkerk was built between 1620 and 1631 in the Renaissance style designed by architect Hendrick de Keyser (1565-1621). It was completed under the direction of his son Pieter de Keyser (1595-1676) and dedicated on 8 June 1631. The church is 58 metres long and 29 metres wide.

The tower of the church, the Westertoren, stands on the west side of the nave and forms a whole with the church. It is the highest church tower in Amsterdam (± 87 metres). The superstructure with the imperial crown dates from 1637 and contains besides the hourly b