On my way to work earlier this week, I explored another side of Amsterdam: the hofjes. Hofjes are houses around a courtyard that is accessible from the street through a door and a hallway. Today, the courtyard is often a green space with trees and flowers. It used to be the place for communal services like water (in many hofjes you can still see the pumps) and toilets.
Hofjes have a long history in the Netherlands. The eldest were founded in the 12th or 13th century as a philanthropic act of wealthy citizens for widows or elderly men. Some hofjes have a religious origin, as intentional communities of laypeople such as the Beguines. In the 19th century another type of hofje was built: housing for people who had come to the city to look for work. These were sometimes maintained by slumlords who profited from the rule that for housing built off the street no permit was needed.
My walk took me to more than 10 hofjes in the Jordaan quarter of Amsterdam. I enjoyed the green, quiet spaces in the bustling city!
Awesome wonder 