I love looking at the different gable stones that adorn many of the Amsterdam houses, particularly those along the centrum's canal belt. They depict something of the original building, either a family crest or a symbol of the business within. In this case, what looks to be a 17th century Dutch washing house. These gable stones are carefully preserved when a building's facade is demolished, and reinstalled with the reconstruction. It would be a great subject for a book, with the history of each one.
The VVAG society translates roughly as "Friends of the Gable Stones," and they are committed to preserving these wonderful architectural details. They have a large collection of photographs on Flickr, here.
I think they're making phyllo dough.
ReplyDeleteThat is an excellent idea for a book. I have not heard of these gable stones, and if they are as attractive as the one in the picture, I think many folks would find them interesting.