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  Walking Tour 10/15
At the Voorstreek: a variety of small retail stores, many of which are still owner-operated Detail of a bridge and its railings along the canal

The Voorstreek is the second largest canal surrounded by shops in the city.  There are a variety of small retail stores, many of which are still owner-operated.  Sadly more and more of these family owned shops are disappearing and being replaced by franchise outlets, the ones you’ll find in every city these days. 
You’ll also find shops that you won’t find between the big stores on the Nieuwestad.  For example, Saxophone Atelier Leeuwarden.  There are a number of shops on these canals that have been passed on from generation to generation. 

Canal the Voorstreek - In the distance the Church of St. Boniface - Bonifatiuskerk

Medicine and Art Nouveau

 Medicine and Art Nouveau

On this canal is an exquisitely beautiful building with an art nouveau style façade in which a pharmacy has been run continuously since the building first opened. 
The “Centrale Apotheek” was restored to its original state in 2002 and is probably the most photographed building in the city. 

This is an historical part of the inner city, the Bonifatius Church the Kazerne (old military sleeping barracks) and several old city canals flanked by beautiful facades. 
Soldiers no longer sleep in the Kazerne however in the 1980’s the interior was refurbished to accommodate studio apartments.

Just a little to the north of the Kazerne is the spot where once the Hoeksterpoort (one of the ancient main gates into the city) must have been. Now there is a parking garage and a supermarket.  A funny detail is that when building this garage and shop, the forms of the old city walls were used to determine the current shape of the new construction. 
From this location it’s just a couple of minutes walk to the Bonifatius Church, of which during a hurricane in 1977 the upper portion of the steeple was completely torn off and fell to the ground.  In the 1980’s the steeple was rebuilt, this time using a steel construction. 

Shop your way around at the old canals and small streets - You can enlarge this picture for a better view Visit the Roman Catholic church of St. Boniface. We call it the Bonifatiuskerk - You can enlarge this picture for a better view Shoppingstreet Voorstreek - You can enlarge this picture for a better view Parking garage and supermarket at the northern end of the innercity- You can enlarge this picture for a better view
 

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