Curious about buildings named after months? Here we are at the Kalenderpanden. These buildings are also known as the Calendar Buildings. They stand proudly along the Entrepotdok. Let’s dive into the story of these unique structures.
The Kalenderpanden are a row of twelve warehouses. Each is named after a month of the year. These warehouses were completed in 1840. They represent an early use of cast iron in a load-bearing structure in the Netherlands. Look up. Notice the upper floors. There are 208 slender columns supporting large open spaces. These spaces once housed wooden windlasses. These windlasses used manpower to hoist cargo.
These Kalenderpanden are located at Entrepotdok 87-98. Architect C.W.M. Klein designed these warehouses. Each warehouse features four loading doors in the center. A basement entrance is connected in a strip. Windows with shutters flank the center on each floor. The first, second, and basement floors have barred windows. Every two warehouses share an arched entrance on the ground floor. Above this entrance is a round window on each floor. A continuous straight cornice tops the facades of the complex. The side facades of number 87 and 98 each have six windows per floor. Pilasters are between the windows.
Originally, the cellars stored wine, spirits, and tin. The attics primarily stored coffee for the Dutch Trading Company. The Friescheveem office was located in the November warehouse at number 97.
Note the side facade of number 98. Six groups of paired windows were recently added on the ground and first floors. Most of the old shutters and loading doors in the front facades of numbers 94 to 98 have been replaced. They are now modern windows and doors with divided lights. However, the barred windows on the ground floor remain. The rear facades feature shallow gables topped with stone caps. Each floor has three shutters or windows. The three basement windows are barred. The original cast-iron support structures are still present.
Ferwerda & Tieman used warehouses 88-90. It was a 19th-century wine importing and bottling company. They advertised pure wines to well-known restaurants. Founded in 1882, they claimed to be the largest retail wine business in the Netherlands by 1887. By 1889, the company operated 23 depots and cellars.
Before 1940, warehouses 96, 97, and 98 were used by the Municipal Energy Company GEB. During the 1960s, the gas meter repair section occupied the ground floor. In the 1950s, GEB also used 94 and 95. Plus, they used the ground floor of 93.
After GEB departed, squatters, including artists, occupied the buildings. The municipality refused to connect water and evicted the squatters in 2000.
Later, the warehouses were converted into high-end apartments. Claus and Kaan Architects created 48 apartments in 12 buildings. Ten of them were lofts with commercial space. Three were studios. One apartment cost over 800,000 euros in 2007. The rear facade was shortened by ten meters. This created a common entry area.
Today, the Kalenderpanden stand as a testament to Amsterdam’s rich trading history. They have adapted to modern times while retaining their unique charm. Take a moment to appreciate these calendar-named buildings. Consider the goods they once held and the people who worked here. The Kalenderpanden offer a glimpse into Amsterdam’s past.