KLM is celebrating its 105th anniversary this year. Traditionally, KLM unveiled a new Delft Blue House on its anniversary, a miniature version of a building with a special history. For the 21st lustrum, the choice was made for ‘Het huis aan de drie grachten’ in Amsterdam, a national monument that borders three canals: the Grimburgwal, the Oudezijds Voorburgwal and the Oudezijds Achterburgwal.
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The mansion in the center of Amsterdam dates from 1610 and was built in Dutch Renaissance style. The house has the status of national monument and owes its name to the fact that it has different canals on three sides: the Grimburgwal, the Oudezijds Voorburgwal (front) and the Oudezijds Achterburgwal. This gives the canal house different angles: diagonal and straight. The house underwent a major renovation in 1909 and has become an architectural masterpiece. The architect, Jan de Meyer, wanted to completely restore the canal house to its 17th-century state after it had been sold, divided and renovated several times since 1687. New window frames, stepped gables and, at the entrance, a sandstone door frame were added to the house. The interior was also included in the restoration project; the oak draught doors and marble floors were replaced, for example. For many years, ‘Het huis aan de drie grachten’ was used as a bookshop and publishing house.
About KLM’s Delft Blue Houses
Since the 1950s, KLM has been handing out Delft Blue Houses filled with Bols Jenever to World Business Class passengers on intercontinental flights. The houses are miniature versions of buildings in the Netherlands and abroad with a special history and are sought-after collector’s items. Since 1994, the number of houses has been in sync with the age of KLM. Since then, a new one has been added to the collection every year on KLM’s birthday on October 7.
