The Czar Peter House, built in 1632, is one of the oldest wooden houses in the Netherlands. Czar Peter the Great stayed in this house in 1697, when he was studying to become a shipwright in Zaandam.
An eight-day stay
Czar Peter the Great lived in this house in Zaandam, which belonged to blacksmith Gerrit Kist, for a mere eight days. After this the Czar moved to the shipyards in Amsterdam owned by the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Even so, the wooden laborer’s house became famous and the Czar’s name has become attached to it.
Names carved in glass
Many people of importance, like Czars, Dutch royalty and even Napoleon and Empress Sissi, have visited the house. Their names are carved in the glass windows and wooden walls prove it.
Two monuments on one site
In the 19th century the wooden house was strutted, given a new foundation and covered over to protect it. The wooden house and the protective roof are now national heritage sites. This means Zaandam has two monuments on a single site.
