Built in 1617 as a meat market and militia barracks, this historical building was rented by the Dutch West India Company (Geoctroyeerde West-Indische Compagnie; GWC) as its headquarters in 1623. It was here that the GWC's governors signed off on the construction of a fort on the island of Manhattan in 1625, establishing New Amsterdam (now New York City).

The booty of naval hero Admiral Piet Heyn was stored here in 1628 after his men captured the Spanish silver fleet off the coast of Cuba.

Today this landmark on the Herenmarkt is used as a conference venue and houses offices including the John Adams Institute, which fosters cultural ties between the USA and the Netherlands. You can enter the courtyard to see the statue of Peter Stuyvesant (c 1612–1672), the final Dutch director-general of the colony of New Netherland until its British acquisition.

The Oostindisch Huis, the headquarters of the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie; VOC) is in Nieuwmarkt.

Transportation

  • bus: 18/21/22 Buiten Brouwersstraat

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Poezenboot

0.14 MILES

Cat-lovers may want to check out this quirky boat on the Singel. It was founded in 1966 by a local woman who became legendary for looking after several…

2. Narrow House

0.15 MILES

It's often said that this house – which at 1.1m appears to be no wider than its door – has the narrowest facade in the city. But don't be deceived: the…

3. Ronde Lutherse Kerk

0.15 MILES

Built between 1668 and 1671, this domed church has the curious distinction of being the only round Protestant church in the country. Falling attendance…

4. Greenland Warehouses

0.16 MILES

The distinctive red-shuttered Greenland Warehouses were built in 1620. Whale oil was a sought-after ingredient for soap, lamp oil and paint, and wells…

5. Multatuli Museum

0.17 MILES

Better known by the pen name Multatuli (Latin for 'I have suffered greatly'), writer Eduard Douwes Dekker is most recognised for Max Havelaar (1860), his…

6. Van Brienenhofje

0.19 MILES

This charming hofje (courtyard) was named in the late 18th century for Jan van Brienen, who bought the Star Brewery located here, one of 13 breweries in…

7. Noorderkerk

0.23 MILES

Near the Prinsengracht's northern end, this imposing Calvinist church was completed in 1623 for the 'common' people in the Jordaan. (The upper classes…

8. De Rode Hoed

0.27 MILES

Occupying three glorious 17th-century canal houses – which once sheltered the Vrijburg, the largest clandestine church in the Netherlands – this cultural…

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