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© Janericloebe via Wikimedia Commons
Category:Amsterdam

The Shipping House of Amsterdam

‘Het Scheepvaarthuis’ (the Shipping House) was built as a joint office for six Amsterdam shipping companies. Architect J.M. van der Mey designed a building that would resemble their power. The Shipping House was completely finished in 1928.

  • Spend the night in this historic building.
  • Discover the references to Dutch shipping history in the decorative elements.
  • The first building erected entirely in the style of the Amsterdam School.

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Highlights of the Shipping House

The Shipping House is one of Amsterdam's best-known monuments, because of:

  • The Amsterdam School: the Shipping House was the first completed building of the Amsterdam School. Characteristics are the profuse masonry along the chimneys, ridge beams and frames and the design of the corners.
    • The decorations: the building is richly decorated with sculptures and wrought iron, which refer to the history of shipping in Holland. Symbols include seahorses, dolphins, waves and anchors.
  • The mighty entrance: The four oceans (the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean) are represented around the entrance. The windows illustrate Neptune with a globe, the V.O.C. (United East India Company) and the W.I.C. (the trade with America and Africa).
    • The incredible stairwell: The most remarkable feature of the interior is the central stairwell. The staircases have been richly decorated with shells, octopuses and other figures.

Visit the Shipping House

Today the Shipping House is a hotel, which preserved the monumental aspects of the building. Walk in and discover all the beautiful details of the building. Find more astonishing buildings on the Amsterdam architecture page or visit the Amsterdam page.

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