Amsterdam 2023: Hortus Botanicus and Oude Kerk

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One of our many favourite things about Amsterdam – the cheese!

On our first full day in Amsterdam in March 2023, we seem to have been undaunted by what looks like very wet weather and wandered over half the city, albeit with a late start because the first photograph is timestamped 1130!

This interesting building (and the cheese shop above) was more or less on our doorstep. Pieter C Hooft, whose bust is above the door, was a 17th century Dutch poet.

Pieter C Hooft
Decorated window

Our walk initially took us in the direction of Central Station, stopping frequently to look at attractive buildings, quirky signs and so on.

The English Hatter
Beetle Sphere by Ichwan Noor
Kalverspassage
Munttoren
Marine Insurance ghost sign
Beurspassage

And did I mention cheese shops?

Henri Willig cheese shop
John liking the idea of cheese
Cheese shop door

By now we were very close to the Victoria Hotel where we stayed on our very first visit in 1981. That was on our honeymoon so we always make a romantic pilgrimage there, this time for lunch. The hotel has changed several times over the years so the bar we were in did not exist in 1981, but it’s the principle that counts!

Restaurant sign
This old section of the exterior is dwarfed by buildings from various eras
Pre-lunch drinks
Pre-lunch drinks
Lunch

After lunch, we continued our walk in the rain, along Zeedijk and through the Nieuwmarkt and Waterlooplein areas. I love the quirky details you get on buildings here.

Cafe sign, Kop Zeedijk
Open Havenfront
Zeedijk
Sint Olofskapel
Canal bridge, Zeedijk
Figure on building, Zeedijk
Figures on buildings, Zeedijk
Small figure, Zeedijk
Zeedijk
Chinese temple, Zeedijk
Record shop
Moses and Aaron Church

Our destination was Hortus Botanicus, the Botanical Gardens. We stuck mainly to the indoor parts, given the weather, finishing with a cup of tea in the café.

Butterfly greenhouse
Butterfly greenhouse
Butterfly greenhouse
Butterfly greenhouse
Palm greenhouse
Palm greenhouse, Tongaland broodboom
Braving the ourdoors
Wedding photography
Three climate greenhouse, cacti
Café

More wet wandering took us back towards the centre. This is the first time I have noticed Stolpersteine in Amsterdam, brass stones made since 1992 by the artist Gunter Demnig to commemorate victims of the Nazis. Apparently they started to be placed here in 2009, and we would see several more during our visit. The statue is of the philosopher Spinoza, located near the site of his birth in 1632. Vossius and Barlaeus in the last image are two Dutch scholars of the 17th century.

Carving, Nieuwe Herengracht
Blauwbrug
Boat, Binnenamstel
Stolpersteine
Spinoza statue
Zuiderkerk
Sculpture in university of Vossius and Barlaeus

Our final destination of the afternoon was the Old Church, Oude Kerk. There was a lot to see, including Garden of Scars, an exhibition by Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahema. It comprised sculptures made from casts of gravestones, bat shapes, and structures representing Dutch forts along the Ghanaian coast. I don’t pretend to get it entirely, but you can read more by enlarging the info panel below if interested.

Garden of Scars
General view with garden of Scars installations
Garden of Scars
Garden of Scars
Garden of Scars
Garden of Scars
Garden of Scars

More areas of the church beyond the art installations:

Church warden’s office
Church warden’s office
Shields
Organ
Roof
Roof
Gravestone
Gravestone
Window
Window
Mirror room

Finally, there was a fine set of misericords – some rather scatalogical (for example the man excreting coins). And I don’t think all are as ancient as they seem, looking at the last one.

Misericords
Misericord
Misericord
Misericord

After thoroughly exploring the church we headed back to our apartment, just stopping to photograph one more door. In the evening we went out to an Indonesian restaurant – the one we always used to go to has disappeared but we found another, which just had space for us, and enjoyed it.

De Brakke Grond 1624
Bojo Indonesian Kitchen

We didn’t go to the Piano Bar, but we liked the sign on the wall.

Piano Bar
Piano bar

We preferred to hurry home to our apartment to put our feet up after a very busy first day in Amsterdam. The following day we had our booking for the Vermeer exhibition, sure to be a trip highlight. Coming soon!

Netherlands , ,

65 Comments »

  1. We are back from our 6-weeks journey (will start posting soon) so I am catching-up on what happened while we were away. I love Amsterdam though we haven’t been in a while. That was certainly a very busy day as you packed a lot. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series (Suzanne)

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  2. The Hortus Botanicus looks wonderful, I’d hoped to get there when we were in The Hague last year but timed out. The misericord are an interesting spot. They can be quite quirky, can’t they?

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  3. Wow! You saw a lot in Amsterdam and how cool to be able to have dinner where you had your honeymoon in 1981. I bet the Indonesian restaurant was good too. The botanical gardens and the church look fascinating as well. What happy memories!

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  4. Hi Anabel – wonderful highlights you’ve given us … I must say I’d love to visit the Garden of Scars – perhaps I should qualify to say I’d very interested in it. The Hortus Botanicus I’d love to visit! Looks so much fun … and you made the most of the day … cheers Hilary

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  6. The cheese shop 🤩, I would have tried all the different cheeses they had. The botanic garden is nice as well. I liked seeing pictures of different parts of the city.

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  7. Loving ll these photos! I love the signs and the originality of them plus the sculptures in the church which is quite unique. I loved Amsterdam and can’t wait for Vermeer…one of my favourites

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  11. I found this post very interesting. The only photos I’ve seen of Amsterdam always feature canals and bicycles and you’ve shown me a very different side to the city. What a lovely treat to be able to revisit the place where you honeymooned.

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  14. You certainly packed a lot into the day. I love the beetle sphere, the butterlies and the stained glass window but my favourite is the misericord with the bat and the cat(?) they look so cute 🙂

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  16. You took in a lot of really interesting architecture, history, and public art on your first day. I have a slight obsession with misericords (it would be a full blown obsession but I keep it in check as I already have far too many hobbies and interests to manage) so I was delighted to see the ones in your photographs. I actually really love that the modern ones are so anachronistic next to the originals as it makes there later date emphatic but also makes me think about what was of interest to or inspired the wood carvers in the past compared to what contemporary wood workers choose to create.

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  18. You seem to have made the very best of Amsterdam, despite the weather, Anabel. The church and the botanic gardens appeal and I’m sure I could get lost in a museum or two.

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  19. Oh, cheese. I so miss my Gouda with Cumin. I used to bring some home every time I went to Amsterdam, or even just changed planes at Schiphol–Norwich direct 40 mins unless you’re on the Friday night prop job which is 1hr 20., and ends up much better than trying to get to Stansted or Heathrow.

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  20. As Valter’s cousin lives in Amsterdam with her family, we are quite frequent visitors. I love walking around the city, checking out luxurious canal houses and charming gabled facades – the city has enough architectural treasures to keep design lovers busy for weeks. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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  22. Amsterdam became a regular haunt of hours for a few years while our daughter lived there – for part of the time on a boat on the Prinzengracht – and then in Haarlem. But I ‘ve not been there simce before Covid. So it’s nice to read these posts of your visit.
    I think I’m goinng to be jealous when I read your next post – although I bet that exhibition was ram jammed.

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  23. I love the series of misericords you have shown here – typical Dutch humour. They remind me in a tangental way of gargoyles: such expression and beautifully executed even though they are generally too high up for the average visitor to see.

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  24. Despite what looks like awful weather you (or ‘im ) got some brilliant photos. Too many to comment on, but love the beetle, the passage and the misericords. You had a very full on day with lots of interesting places and good food.

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  25. I am very fond of that area. Are you aware that Saskia van Uylenberg (Rembrandt’s wife) is buried in the Oude Kerk? I have never noticed the scatalogical misericord, but it amuses me – very Dutch! Thanks for posting but you are making me ‘homesick’!

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