From the water
Café de Sluyswacht is in the historical lockhouse, an adorably wonky little house dating from 1695. Nowadays it is a Dutch bar and a really good example of a crooked house, as it leans to the left side. So why do houses in Amsterdam become crooked? Amsterdam was built on swampy ground, basically on the bottom of the sea. For foundations, people at that time used wooden piles: fifteen, twenty, thirty and forty metres deep in the ground. Over time the water level changed, the wood started to oxidise and rot, and the houses became crooked. Usually in such houses the floors are levelled up, but the owner of this bar decided to change nothing and just leave it as it is. That is why we call this the cheapest bar in town, because when you walk in, at some point you start to feel a bit tipsy even without a drink. They also have a sign in the toilet: keep on drinking until this house makes any sense to you.
The story behind it
De Sluyswacht, the lockkeeper’s house from 1695, is one of the most crooked buildings in Amsterdam. It leans because its wooden foundation piles have slowly sunk into the soft soil over the centuries.
Today it is a beloved terrace café with a view over the Oudeschans and the Montelbaanstoren — a perfect spot to visit after your cruise.
On your cruise
This is stop 11 of 23 on the Friendship route. Before this you passed Crazy Jack's Tower, and the boat continues towards Waterloo Square. Your skipper will point it out as you pass — keep your camera ready, because from the water you see details that are easily missed from the street.
Want to see it in person? All our cruises follow the heart of this route, and with a private cruise you can even ask your skipper to linger a little longer at your favourite spots.
