Golden Bend

The Golden Bend is about the most prestigious stretch of real estate in Amsterdam, a monument to the Golden Age, when precious goods swelled in cellars of homes already stuffed with valuables. The earliest mansions date from the 1660s, when the Canal Belt was expanded south. Thanks to some lobbying at city hall, the gables here were twice as wide as the standard Amsterdam model, and the rear gardens were deeper. The richest Amsterdammers lived, loved and ruled their affairs from here. Apart from the museum Kattenkabinet, the homes are opened to the public only on Open Monument Day (Open Monumentendag).