Schippersgracht

Schippersgracht
	Schippersgracht with the Scharrebier lock
Length	100 metres (330 ft)
Location	Amsterdam
Postal code	1016
Coordinates	52°22′14″N 4°54′44″E / 52.370643°N 4.912141°E
East end	Rapenburgerplein
To	Prins Hendrikkade

The Schippersgracht (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈsxɪpərsˌxrɑxt]) is a canal and street in the Centrum district of Amsterdam that runs from the Rapenburgerplein to the Prins Hendrikkade.

Location

The Schippersgracht street starts where Foeliedwarsstraat crosses Rapenburgerplein and ends at the Kortjewantsbrug (bridge 487) on Prins Hendrikkade. The Schippersgracht canal is an extension of the Nieuwe Herengracht leading to Nieuwe Vaart, and is about 100 metres (330 ft) long. The quay along the north-west side of the water has the house numbers 2 to 16, with even and odd numbers alternating (not opposite each other). In the past there were higher house numbers, up to 423. The current numbering began in the 19th century. The southeastern bank of the canal is called Kadijksplein. The Schippersgracht owes its name to the fact that many skippers lived here.

Architecture

There are a number of monumental buildings from the 17th century on Schippersgracht, including numbers 14 and 15. The Amsterdam architect Herman Hendrik Baanders (1849–1905) designed Schippersgracht 5 (1897). Baanders was mainly active in Amsterdam.

History

In April 1854 the Amsterdamsche Duinwater-Maatschappij started installation of drinking water on the Schippersgracht. Around 1906 the end of tram line 2 was on the Schippersgracht. This was canceled after six months and shortened to Central Station.