Peter the Great

We are standing at Oostenburgergracht 77–81, the place where Tsar Peter the Great stayed during his visit to Amsterdam in 1697–1698. That a Russian tsar lived and worked here as an apprentice shipwright is remarkable enough on its own.

Peter the Great was no ordinary ruler. Determined to transform Russia into a modern European power, he sought to learn from the best. In the summer of 1697, disguised as an ordinary laborer, he traveled to the Dutch Republic. His destination: the VOC shipyards in Amsterdam.

For about four months, he worked at a shipyard on Oostenburg. He helped build a ship, drafted plans, and studied navigation and anatomy. He drank beer in taverns, attended public lectures, and immersed himself in Amsterdam life. All to understand how this small republic became a naval powerhouse.

When he left, he did so as a certified shipwright — but more importantly, he took back knowledge and ideas to Russia. There he would modernize his fleet and create a new capital, Saint Petersburg.

Most of the old buildings in this part of the city have since disappeared, but this building survives. You can literally stand where the tsar once walked. It’s also noteworthy that upon his arrival in Amsterdam, a spectacular maritime show was staged on the IJ. Tall ships set sail, cannons boomed, and crews saluted — a naval display to impress a monarch. Perhaps an early predecessor of what we now call SAIL.