Yesterday , visiting the book market I also take some pic.`s of the names of the houses. They are painted above the : `` bovenlicht``. ( That`s the glass window above the front door) The ``bovenlicht`` has also often a very nice decoration (cast iron burgle prevention)
The tree (3) similar ones (2 withe and 1 green ) is call a ``levensboom`` ( a life tree )
Every door has a beauty of it's own. I guess in a smaller town it was possible for the post/mail man to know the houses by names. I find street numbers would be easier but not as nice as the old system.
There are many similarities with my country, Pyrrhula. Houses all had names before government introduced numbering. Many of them still do today - mine is 'Beliar', I inherited from the previous owner. Many of our houses have glass window above the main door to give light to the interior. Lovely collage of these housefronts.
A great collage of the fascinating names and details of these houses. Most houses here have numbers and some also a name. In some smaller villages the houses just have names.
OOOOhhhh... Thank you soooo much for the reference. I have recently read a book with the action set in 17th century Amsterdam, and there it said that houses were named, not numbered. And I found that fascinating. However, I thought it was just a thing made up by the author. But I see it is real. Is this idea still in use? Or are these just the names preserved from the past?
April 4th, 2022
Leave a Comment
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
Ian