Amsterdam City Scape 1:5000

Amsterdam has its origins in the 12th century when locals built a dam over the river Amstel leading to the village being named "Aemstelredamme". In the Middle Ages, Amsterdam was surrounded by a moat, called the Singel, which now forms the innermost ring in the city, and makes the city centre a horseshoe shape. The canal system was heavily developed in the early 17th century, considered the city's Golden Age, to accommodate large scale immigration. Four concentric half-circles of canals with their ends emerging at the IJ bay were constructed. Amsterdam is now home to more than one hundred kilometres of canals. It is thought that the considerations of the layout were purely practical and defensive rather than ornamental. The layout of the inner city canal ring was inscribed on the World Heritage List by Unesco in 2010.

This 3d map of Amsterdam, at a scale of 1:5000, is centred on the Royal Palace and includes the Singel, Prinsengracht, Herengracht and Keizersgracht. It is a single plaster tile measuring 30x30cm encapsulated in a perspex frame. The model can wall hang or be displayed on a desk or table top.