Without fail, I would always take a moment and admire this landmark whenever I walk past it.
This is the Montelbaanstoren. The lower stone structure was constructed in 1516. Almost a century later in 1606, the timber spire top with a clock and bells was added in the Renaissance style, under the direction of the city architect, Hendrick de Keyser (15 May 1565 – 15 May 1621). The Montelbaanstoren became 48 meters high.
Strangely, the tower bells would spontaneously play at irregular intervals and then make no sound at all for a few days. The tower was nicknamed Malle Jaap (‘Mad Jaap’).
Around 1610, the structure began to lean over to one side. The tower had probably subsided due to the increased weight, wind load and the flow of the IJ and Amstel water which had weakened its foundation. The tower was propped up with poles and ropes, straightened with cables and the tower base was enforced with a thick wall around it.
The Montelbaanstoren was erected as a defense tower of Amsterdam but lost its strategic function eventually due to the city expansion. Since then, it has had various purposes housing several municipal services, as a police post in 1906, occupied by an interest group that stands up for gay, bisexual and transgender Muslims in 2010 and currently furnished by the Private Boat Tours company since 2014.
The Montelbaanstoren is not open to the public.
📍Oudeschans 2. 1011KX Amsterdam.