Bridge 44 history and information
Again like many of our previous bridges, there has been a bridge here for centuries and it appears on many of the old maps. Many older arched bridges had collapsed in the centre of Amsterdam and so a simple slab bridge was built here at the end of the 19th century. Before the canal ring in Amsterdam became a world heritage site people had less concern for the aesthetic value of the older arched bridges. However, in recent times the municipality has determined that bridges should fit the street scene and so when the bridge was rebuilt in 1978 the arch came back here. At the time it was described as an “architectural lie”, a bridge in the style of the 17th century but with a concrete span and foundation.
Also like many of the bridges in Amsterdam, it had an unofficial name until the review in 2016. This one (Hemonybrug) was named after the Hemony brothers, Pieter and François, who had their workshop on the corner of Keizersgracht and Molenpad which was near the bridge in the 17th century. Confusingly therefore the bridge is not located near either the Hemonystraat (Amsterdam-Zuid) or Hemonylaan (De Pijp). Whilst this isn’t unusual (and we’ve seen this with #lijnbaansbrug #bridge10 and #warmoesbrug #bridge22) this deviating location from street and avenue is one of the reasons that the Hemony Bridge was discussed in 2016 at the Municipal Executive of Amsterdam. During a check of the bridge names, the name did not meet the guidelines that apply to be included in the Key Register of Addresses-Buildings. So officially now unnamed #brug44
Photos from Amsterdam Archive
1,2 & 3 Brug 44
Near bridge 44-45-46 Collection Archives of the Department of Spatial Planning December 1980
4 Keizersgracht 464-472 and the corner of Leidsegracht 29 the rebuilt state in 1936. In the foreground a part of Bridge 45 and behind it Bridge 44. Anonymous Collection Archives of the Bureau Monumentenzorg 1936
5 Keizersgracht 452-462 In the foreground a part of Bridge 44. Anonymous Collection Archives of the Bureau Monumentenzorg 1940 ca.