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This 350 year old neighbourhood lays behind the western part
of the canal girdle. Surrounded by four canals this long island
stretches itself out from north, in the middle the Rozengracht, to south.
Late 19th century this canal has been
filled in
and it is now sort of a highway for traffic going in and out the city.
Close to it is the Westerkerk. Not really in the Jordaan but on the other (city centre) side of
the Prinsengracht, belonging to the Grachtengordel.
However, it is thís church with her emperor's crown that the Jordanese love so much and sing about.
The environmentally unfriendly and hazardous factories and workshops
were moving into the Jordaan because they were not allowed practising their profession
in the Grachtengordel. So did the sugar factories with their black carbon monoxide fumes,
the textile weaving mills, the shoe- and hatmakers, the soap and paint factories.
In the southern part settled the tanneries (leerlooierij, Looiersgracht).
On the Bloemgracht there is still a paint factory active, but some neighbours are very concerned.
There were all kinds of narrow alleys in between and half under houses leading to the many outhouses and
workshops behind the houses. Now they are all taken down or closed off with a door.
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