Amsterdam is a city with a beautiful history of art and artisans. You will find medieval art and contemporary art intertwined beautifully in several corners of the city. Besides, you can find numerous art deco shops and stores in the city that will mesmerize you if you appreciate art. Below is a discussion on some of the top art deco stores you can visit on your Amsterdam private tours.
PGC Hajenius – the Art Deco Tobacco Shop
Pantaleon Gerhard Coenraad Hajenius began his first tobacco shop in 1826 when he was just 19 years of age. He turned the shop into the official provider to a few European courts. The present-day shop was made in 1915 and flaunts a beautiful art deco inside. The trimmings mirror the store’s past success. Notice the Italian marble on the dividers and counters, and the excellent Delft tobacco containers arranged on the racks. No paint was utilized to adorn the inside of the store. Understandably, no remote smell was permitted to mix with the thick scent of cigar smoke.
The Yawner Gable Stone
The yawner is a local preference. The mouth of the statue may be wide but it is not to yawn, but rather to swallow a pill, he used to represent a drug store. At the time, most nearby prescriptions were produced using flavors and plants brought from abroad. Hence, the yawner was frequently portrayed as a Moor. Legend says that a Moorish man would help the drug specialist on market days, advancing the medication by gulping pills before those assembled. Later, he would go on to showcase an abrupt recovery from whatever his disease was that week.
The Chapel of the Parrot
Kalverstraat is one of the busiest shopping streets in Europe. This may clarify why the message at the passageway of the church seems like a promoting trademark: “Een kwartier voor God” (15 minutes for God). In 1578, the Netherlands turned protestant. Since Catholics were present, they needed to worship in private places. A number of concealed holy places were operated in houses and nicknamed as creatures or articles. As holy people were not permitted they names it the Papegaai, the parrot. Stroll past the small entrance to find a wide and excellent church.
Amsterdam is a city of artistic delights. There are many present-day testimonies of the same. Make sure you visit the above places as you finish your Amsterdam private tours.