Of all the sights in the Netherlands, perhaps the one with which the greatest number of people are familiar is the Anne Frank House at Prisengracht 263 in Amsterdam, the location of the secret annex where the Frank family (Otto, Edith, Anne, and Margot), the van Pels family (Hermann, Auguste, and Peter), and Fritz Pfeffer hid from the Nazis. The building was nearly demolished after years of neglect, but with the pressure of public opinion and the help of Otto Frank’s friends, the building was saved. Today, the Anne Frank house and the two buildings adjacent to it serve as the Anne Frank Museum.
Just a few steps from the Anne Frank house is the Westerkerk. Anne Frank wrote of hearing the bells from Westerkerk while she was confined to the Secret Annex. Westerkerk, built in 1620-1631, has the distinction of having the highest church tower in Amsterdam, standing at 85 meters (279 feet) tall. Atop the steeple is the Imperial Crown of Austria of Maximilian I. Rembrandt van Rijn is buried in Westerkerk and, on 10 Mar 1969, Princess Beatrix married Prince Claus in Westerkerk.
The Anne Frank House
SOURCE: The Anne Frank House (Amsterdam, Netherlands), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 Aug 2010.
The Anne Frank Museum
SOURCE: The Anne Frank Museum (Amsterdam, Netherlands), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 Aug 2010.
Westerkerk
SOURCE: Westerkerk (Amsterdam, Netherlands), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 Aug 2010.
Westerkerk from the North
SOURCE: Westerkerk from the North (Amsterdam, Netherlands), photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 08 Aug 2010.
Copyright © 2010 by Stephen J. Danko
I wanted to read abt. your entire trip at one time, and just finished it. What a trip, and lovely photos, as usual. Thanks Steve.