English
Like any city that has developed on the seafront, the capital of the Netherlands emerged from a small fishing village. Founded in the twelfth century, Amsterdam is located between the IJ bay and the Amstel River. Of the clean water from the Amstel river they produce their beer. Tourism is also very young, becoming one of the most lively cities in Europe. Today it is the country´s largest city and a major financial and cultural international center .
Apparently the first to live in these makeshift houses were the hippies, due to the housing shortage after World War II. It also helped the Dutch fleets modernization that took place in those years, leaving large amounts of available cargo ships for use in this curious form of housing in the Amsterdam canals.
Usually traditional houses are more expensive than this type of housing, but these houseboats carry more expenses. Every so often they must be transferred to the shipyard to be completely revised, which can last about a week, a perfect time to go on vacation. In addition to maintenance, this property must pay a floating excise duty, insurance and rent for boat parking.
Currently, if you wanted to buy a boat, there is no more space to park, Amsterdam canals are completely saturated. But you can always buy an already established one.
Along the canals of Amsterdam are some of the best and most expensive houseboats you can find in Europe. Prices have surged by a shortage of mooring spaces. There are currently more than 3,000 boats, characterizing Amsterdam for its canals and curious houseboats . Like other cities in Europe with plenty of water, such as Hamburg, Stockholm and Bruges which is known as the “Venice of the North”.
In the popular district of Jordaan you will find the historic museum ship, the Houseboat Museum. A houseboat open to the public since 1997, in the fantastic “Hendrika Maria”, a cargo ship built in 1914 that was later renovated to provide housing. For 20 years it was inhabited and today we can see and experience living on a boat in the canals of Amsterdam.
Upon entering the museum you feel a nice soft roll filled with smells and marine colors, outside noise from the street fades away. You can walk through it and you will be greeted in the lounge, decorated in typical Dutch style of the fiftie by sitting down and enjoying a cappuccino or some hot chocolate as a guest of this house.
Visit the museum ship to discover how the space is laid out and meet some of the advantages and disadvantages of living in a houseboat and feel just like at home.
For further information please contact the museum´s official website at: http://www.houseboatmuseum.nl
Visit the city that is at the forefront of Europe in Entertainment, art and museums. Rent apartments in Amsterdam and discover the dream of living on a houseboat.
