The history of the hotel "VICTORIA" in Amsterdam

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The period 1827-1921 was the beginning of a large-scale construction process for Amsterdam. At this
time, the design and construction of Amsterdam Central Railway Station takes place and for the convenience of residents and visitors it was decided to build a large hotel in front of the station under construction.

German architect JF Henkenhaf launched the idea of ​​building a hotel in 1883 and later founded the NV Hotelonderneming Victoria Hotel. "VICTORIA" - that's the future hotel planned to be named. To prepare for the construction site, it was decided to buy a block just opposite the station under construction - at the Damrak and Prins Hendrikkade intersections.

This is the quarter in the 1880 photo.

The hotel became the first in the Netherlands, which has electric lighting throughout the building, including all rooms. To protect against station noise, it is planned to install double windows in all rooms. This hotel should attract rich and famous visitors from all over Europe! In the future, it turns out. From the first day the hotel was greeted as a local. so a foreign guest.

Celebrities like Mata Hari, Billy Graham, Louis Armstrong, German actress and singer Zarah Leander, British actress Glenda Jackson and boogie-woogie, rock-and-roll legend Fats Domino - are just some of the names of those who love to have lived in "Victoria" .

For such large-scale development, money is not stingy and bought from the owners all at home, freeing up construction sites. But here there are difficulties.

Owner of two houses no. 46 and No. 47 at Prins Hendrikkade firmly refuses to sell their homes! They were offered a large sum of 20,000 guilders at that time, but they stood alone. The innkeeper Johannes Verburg and tailor Peter Barstens demanded their small house 50,000 guilders, which was not included in the hotel builder plan.

They are absolutely convinced that victory will be on their side, because without the destruction of their homes, development will stop. The auction takes several years! Finally, the hotel builders get bored with this and they find a way out of the situation - to build a hotel ... around these houses, without touching them and keeping them in their original state! After the hotel was built and opened in 1890, News van den Dag writes:

"From the side of the street Prins Hendrikkade Hotel includes a semi-circle in the house of two stubborn - innkeepers and tailors who even for 46,000 guilders (which is the amount of income that my bid - notes) do not want to sell their homes at auction.But now such a contrast in in the building will only attract more attention to the hotel and will increase guests' interest for it. "

Type of hotel after construction.

Modern hotel view

But part of the hotel building is enlarged, where the two houses are clearly visible. They still belong to the heirs of Johannes Verburg and Peter Barstens. To the left is a one-story house from the innkeeper, and on the right is a three-story tailor's house. Now these houses are rented out and there are souvenir shops in them, which bring benefits to their owners!

In 2015, Dutch director Joram Lürsen produces feature film "Public Works" (Publieke werken), which is based on the story, which remains a true example of respect for private property in Europe.

The second time I arrived in Amsterdam, I did not know the history, stayed at this hotel and immediately spotted these two little houses, featuring a glow with bright souvenir lights. It was not until I returned to Moscow that I, curiously, began to study the history of the birth of the calf, but now, a few years later, I decided to share it with you ...

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