Traditional Dutch houses are famous for their characteristic façades, which come in all sorts and sizes: crow-stepped gables, bell-shaped gables, pointed gables and cornice fronts. You will have already seen many fine examples of them on this I-Tour through the canal ring – after all, this area is full of merchant houses with their ornate façades.

The inhabitants of Amsterdam built these wonderful gables to make their houses look prettier and many of these individual gables are actually no more than a little wall that hides a slightly lower, pointed roof.