In the 13 th century some of the firsts houses were build with bricks.

By the development of cities in the 11 th-12 th- and 13 th century, more and more houses were build out of bricks.

This has to do with the cities and theyre inhabitants became more riche, and off course wooden houses were practicaly defenceless against fire.

It happened that citycentres were total loss of fire outburst.

As I mentioned in the blog about Dutch villages, the Dutch conquered the water, and canalized it.

This was really the start of the Dutch building stone brick houses.

Most off the houses were made by bricks, just becouse there is so much clay in this delta of rivers.

And no mountains for stone quarries, it has to come out of the foreing countries, so to expensive.

When the fishermen found out how the preserve herring, it was the first economic boost of the dutch socieity.

It was the true starter of the wellfare centuries to come.

What i will show you is the middle age houses, quit sober, and the 16 th and 17 th century houses.

The were and still are grand and sophisticated.

Holland was the number one in the old days, the leading sailship nation for a 200 years to come.

And they showed it in theyre house, palaces and cities.

Holland is full of rememberance of this glorious past.

Photo below is a mercanthouse in Amsterdam.

See photoalbum on my page. Salute to you all, Joop.