Transformer house
Built in 1936-1941, not a monument
Past
This was one of the transformer houses which supplied some of the site with steam, helping to make the business self-sufficient. Buildings where there was a risk of explosion didn’t have an electricity supply, but instead used steam from the boiler house. A secure electrical system was later added. Hembrug had its own medium-voltage network (3000 to 10,000 volts).
Originally, the buildings were numbered in ascending order. Over the years, many buildings have been demolished and replaced with new ones. A new building was given the next available number, so the numbering is now nonsensical. Because of this, many buildings are better known by nicknames referring to the building’s function.
Present
The foundation Stichting bij Bind now occupies the building. The living room is somewhere you can have a cup of coffee, hang out with friends, get inspiration, hold a meeting, or sit and work quietly. It is also a laboratory for new music, poetry, storytelling, art, and skills projects.
More information: https://www.bijbind.nl/
The Zaans Museum was founded in 1998 on the Zaanse Schans to guard and preserve the Zaan heritage.
The Hembrug Museum tells the story of the arms and ammunition factory that was located on the Hembrugterrein in Zaandam.
In 1697, the Russian Tsar Peter the Great stayed in this world-famous house in the center of Zaandam.
