Netherlands
Recent Articles
Grote Markt and the Grote Kerk of St. Bavo
The Grote Markt has served as the heart of Haarlem for centuries. Surrounded by historic buildings, shops and gathering places, the square reflects the city’s long history as a center of commerce, civic life and religious activity. Its most commanding landmark is the Grote Kerk, also known as the Church of St. Bavo. The present […]
Historic Stepped-Gable Building
Haarlem is known for its narrow houses and distinctive gabled rooflines, but some buildings command more attention than others. This richly decorated brick building combines a traditional stepped gable with projecting windows, patterned masonry and numerous carved and ornamental details. The alternating bands of red brick and pale stone create strong horizontal lines across the […]
Anne Frank and the Secret Annex
In the summer of 1942, an ordinary doorway inside an Amsterdam business concealed an extraordinary secret. Behind it were rooms in the rear annex of the building at 263 Prinsengracht, where Otto and Edith Frank and their daughters, Margot and Anne, went into hiding from the Nazi persecution of the Jewish people. The entrance initially […]
The Anne Frank House
During our time in Amsterdam, one of the places I wanted to understand was the Anne Frank House. This historic photograph caught my attention because it shows the back of the house in 1954, only nine years after the end of World War II and before the building had been preserved as a museum. Anne […]
Page from Anne Frank’s Friendship Book
Among the many objects preserved at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, this page from a friendship book is one of the most quietly powerful. It is not part of Anne Frank’s famous diary, nor does it describe the years she spent in hiding. Instead, it offers a glimpse into the ordinary world of childhood […]
Canal Ring
One of the highlights of our visit to Amsterdam was taking a boat tour through the city’s historic canals. Viewing Amsterdam from the water offered a completely different perspective. As we glided beneath centuries-old bridges and past rows of elegant canal houses, it became easy to understand why the city’s waterways are considered one of […]
