Van Tussenbroek, Gabri. (2013). The great rebuilding of Amsterdam (1521–1578). Urban History, 1-24.
The great rebuilding of Amsterdam (1521–1578)
In 1452, approximately three-quarters of Amsterdam was destroyed by fire. Despite attempts by the city government to encourage citizens to build usingbrickandpantiles,thecitywasmainlyrebuiltwithtimber-framedbuildings. Onlyin1521didpetrificationofAmsterdam’sbuildingsgraduallystarttobecome more widespread, coinciding with an enormous increase in the total number of houses. The great rebuilding of Amsterdam led to a sustainable renewal of the housingstock,ofwhichsomehouseshavesurvivedtothepresentday.Thisarticle investigates the reasons for the delay in building with brick, based on building archaeologicalresearch,bylawsandinvestigationofthe1562taxregister.Itshows the mechanisms of transforming a wooden city into a brick one and reveals the effects on living conditions in the final stages of the rebuilding process in the sixteenth century.
Afbeelding credits
Icon afbeelding: Fotobank