Victoria Hotel

English translation

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Description

Introduction

A HOTEL built on the corner of Damrak and Prins Hendrikkade in 1883-1890, named Victoria Hotel, designed in Neo-Baroque by J.F. Henkenhaf, who as owner of the hotel and through the Company Limited Partnership Hotel Business 'Victoria Hotel' also commissioned the work. N.B. There have been various later extensions, which from the standpoint of monument conservation are of secondary importance.

Description

On a composite floor plan and entirely constructed of sandstone and grey tufa, a hotel on a dark-coloured hardstone basement in rustication consisting of a ground floor, three storeys under a hipped roof. The heavily projecting and moulded drip moulding is corniced. The facade is articulated horizontally by heavy water-shedding string courses and vertically by colossal half-columns. At the height of the first three storeys the wall surfaces are divided into panels by means of grooves.

Damrak facade six window bays wide. Above the round-arched openings voussoirs in the form of lion heads. Transition to first storey marked by heavy string course. The rightmost window bay slightly projecting and placed between colossal Corinthian half-columns from the second storey upwards to the cornice, resting on the corniced string course on elaborate consoles. On first and second storey alternating system of windows and French balconies. The balconies lie behind iron railings. On the first storey above the balconies and breaking through the string course triangular pediments, at the bottom – in mannerist fashion – interrupted and in the tympanum fitted with leafwork. On the second storey we find above windows and balconies additionally also straight and arched finishes fitted with shell motif. On the third storey the window openings are round-arched. In the steeply pitched roof shield two rows of dormers, the first showing the use of aediculae.

The corner bay constitutes a constricted triangular tower comprising five storeys with a cupola. The uppermost storey beneath the cupola is fitted with round window openings between heavy scroll-shaped consoles which carry a second projecting cornice. The cupola is fitted with ribs and round projecting window openings. Street-level above the former entrance a decorative cast-iron canopy above which – at the height of the first storey – a running balcony behind ornamental iron railing between natural stone posts. At the height of second storey in the middle window bay a second balcony behind ornamental iron railing. In the frieze below the first cornice painted in gold-coloured letters: VICTORIA HOTEL VICTORIA. Further as above (colossal half-columns on basement, window tracery etc.) Prins Hendrikkade facade three window bays wide. Middle one set back behind Prins Hendrikkade 46 and 47 due to unwilling and unwilling-to-sell owners during the building period (see the literature on this). Further treated as description of Damrak side facade.

Interior. From the stairwell a section of the old wooden staircase remains on the upper storeys. The stained-glass windows in the stairwell come from the workshop of E. Loehrer in Utrecht and date from 1890.

Valuation

Hotel situated on the corner of Damrak and Prins Hendrikkade, named Victoria Hotel, of general importance due to cultural-historical value as an exponent of a flourishing hotel business in the late 19th/early 20th century. An added cultural-historical value is formed by the 'petite histoire' of the unwilling owners of Prins Hendrikkade 46-47 (see above). Also of architectural-historical value due to the special aesthetic quality of the facade design. Finally of urban design importance because of its situation on the corner of Damrak and Prins Hendrikkade.