From Narrow Alley to Financial Corridor
Originally, Vijzelstraat was just a narrow street—only 7 meters wide—that stopped at Reguliersdwarsstraat. In 1907, the city decided it was time for an upgrade. The street was widened to 22 meters, which meant demolishing buildings on the western side. This opened the door for new developments like the Carlton Hotel and the monumental De Bazel building (now home to the Amsterdam City Archives).
But the most dramatic changes came in the 1920s.
The ‘Vijzelflat’ and the Age of Banks
In 1925, the block between the Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht was torn down. In its place, the ‘Vijzelflat’, also known as Amstelstein, was built between 1926 and 1928. Designed by J.M. van der Mey, one of the pioneers of the Amsterdam School architectural style, the building was special—it stretched over the Kerkstraat, with a grand archway that let traffic pass underneath.
In 1955, disaster struck. During maintenance work, one of the building’s columns collapsed. The damage was hastily repaired, but the structure remained unstable. After years of back-and-forth between the City of Amsterdam and the Twentsche Bank (later ABN Bank), the building was demolished in 1962. A bank expansion took its place—and once again, street-level shops disappeared.
The ‘Poentunnel’ and Prins & Keizer
The new bank buildings flanking the Keizersgracht were connected via an underground pedestrian tunnel for employees—affectionately dubbed the ‘Poentunnel’ (a slang term meaning “money tunnel”). Between 1969 and 1973, a new structure by architect Marius Duintjer rose in its place, featuring another arch over the Kerkstraat, echoing Amstelstein’s earlier design. The building quickly became known as the Vijzelbank.
After the bank moved out, the building was repurposed. First it was called Duintjer CS, and since 2014, it has carried the posh name Prins & Keizer.
Oh, and that land swap? If you’ve ever wondered why the P.C. Hoofthuis of the University of Amsterdam is located on Spuistraat, that’s because the city traded land with the bank to make it happen.
