The Hermitage Amsterdam

Before a wealthy Dutch merchant, Barent Helleman died and left his entire fortune to the church, elderly, dependent women relied on expensive, private homes for shelter. Using some 90,000 guilders of the inheritance, the Deanery ordered the construction of the building now known as The Hermitage.

The Hermitage Amsterdam

 In 1681, the Diaconie Oude Vrouwen Huys (Deanery Home for Old Women) opened as home for 400 women. (Qualification for residency included strict guidelines: at least 50 years old, a member of the church for no fewer than 10 years, and a resident of Amsterdam for no fewer than 15 years.) Men were eligible for residency in 1817 and the name changed accordingly to Diaconie Oude Vrouwen- en Mannenhuis.

The home served its original purpose until the 1990’s when it was deemed unfit and new location for a modern facility was sought. The last residents left the Amstelhof (as it was known) in 2007. Afterward the historic structure was leased by the city of Amsterdam as an annex to the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. On June 20, 2009 the Netherlands’ Queen Beatrix and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev were present to open the Hermitage Amsterdam.

A view from the Amstel

Today the massive facility (138,270 sq. ft.) is home to priceless collections of Dutch art and artifacts. It also serves as safekeeping for travelling exhibitions such as the one we viewed yesterday: Impressionism: Sensation & Inspiration. Many years before the significance of these priceless works was realized, they were bought by agents of the Czar and taken to Russia. In the 200 years since then, they have lovingly survived, and for a few months (until yesterday) were on view at the Hermitage Amsterdam.

Also, because the Van Gogh Museum here in Amsterdam is in the last stages of a massive renovation, the Hermitage is the temporary home to many, many examples of Vincent Van Gogh’s art and personal effects.

Our building in the p.m. sunshine

A good day for a nap!

Yesterday broke nasty. Rain pelted the wind-blown houseboats, and from our vantage point on the second floor of Amstel 155,  (red roof, third floor) it looked like a great day to stay home. By noon all that changed. The rain stopped, and so did the wind. (By 4:00 p.m. the temperature had risen ten degrees and the sun was shining. Here’s what I say: if you don’t like the weather, wait a while.)

That’s when we decided that a short walk to the Hermitage was in order. We are glad we did. As it turned out, yesterday was the last day for the visiting Impressionists.