De grachten van de Jordaan

The canals of the Jordaan are among the most atmospheric parts of Amsterdam. Unlike the wide and stately Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht, the Jordaan canals are narrower, more intimate and surrounded by characteristic houses, little bridges and cosy terraces. Well-known canals include the Bloemgracht, Egelantiersgracht, Lauriergracht and Brouwersgracht, which is regularly voted one of the most beautiful canals in the city. Originally these waterways served for the drainage of the low-lying polder area and for the transport of goods. Today they form the backdrop of one of the most beloved neighbourhoods of Amsterdam, where you experience the real Jordaan feeling while walking or sailing.
Where does the name come from?
Many canals in the Jordaan are named after flowers and plants, such as the Bloemgracht, Leliegracht, Egelantiersgracht and Lauriergracht. This ties in with a popular explanation for the name ‘Jordaan’: a corruption of the French Jardin (garden), because many street names refer to flowers and plants. Although historians do not entirely agree on this, the flower naming is still clearly visible in the district.
Fun fact
Did you know that the Jordaan once had eleven canals? In the 19th and 20th centuries six of them were filled in to make way for wider streets and growing traffic. The Rozengracht is the best-known example of this: despite its name, no water has flowed through it for well over a century.