If you look around you, up and down the canal, you will be able to see several Amsterdam warehouses. You will have already spotted some of these characteristic buildings on your walk around the canal ring. In bygone days, all sorts of goods would have been stored in these warehouses, such as food, wood or spices brought to Amsterdam by ship. The name of the warehouse often reveals the sort of goods stored in it or the origin of the wares: the ‘Afrika’ (Africa), the ‘Korendrager’ (granary) and the ‘Spaanse Huis’ (Spanish House).

Can you see the beams that protrude at the top of the warehouses’ gables? The merchants used them to hoist their wares up to the upper storeys. You can also recognise warehouses by their large doors, although nowadays many of the doors have been replaced by windows.

You may have noticed that many of the warehouses and other canal houses lean out over the street. Why do they lean like that? Do the quiz to find out more.