Bloemgracht

This is the Bloemgracht, the oldest canal in the Jordaan, dug back in 1615. It's peaceful now, lined with narrow houses and their elegant gabled rooftops. But four centuries ago, this street hummed with an entirely different kind of energy.

Right here, cartographer Willem Janszoon Blaeu ran his famous print shop. He was obsessed with accuracy, collecting travel accounts, ships' logs, and stories from sailors fresh off their voyages to piece together maps of the known and unknown world. One of his most iconic creations was an early map of the Netherlands, attached as image to this story. It looks almost unrecognizable at first glance, which makes it all the more fascinating.

After Willem died, his son Joan took over and went even bigger. In 1637 he opened a new, larger printing house right on this same canal. This is where the Atlas Major was born. Hundreds of maps, thousands of pages, and a price tag of 350 guilders, roughly a full year's wages for most people. To this day, it remains the most expensive, most detailed, and most breathtaking atlas ever produced.

If you want to see more of Blaeu's remarkable maps up close, head to the Scheepvaartmuseum. You won't be disappointed.