page_title: Huis met de Hoofden
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Huis met de Hoofden / History
caption_attribution_description: amsterdam, keizersgracht 123 This is an image of rijksmonument number 2249
context_page_description: The House with the Heads is a large canal house on the Keizersgracht 123 in Amsterdam, named after the six ornaments shaped as heads, which are on the facade. The house is a rijksmonument and is listed on the Top 100 Dutch heritage sites.
  Nowadays the building is home to the Embassy of The Free Mind, a museum and platform for culture, music, art, science and spirituality.
context_section_description: The house was built in 1622 for Nicolaas Sohier, a wealthy stock trader and art lover. The renaissance facade is attributed to architect Hendrick de Keyser, but was probably executed and completed by his son Pieter de Keyser, as Hendrick had already died in 1621.
  As for the heads in the facade, there is a legend that they refer to six thieves who had tried to break in the house and were then beheaded by the maid. However, the ornaments are said to be images of six Roman gods: Apollo with the laurel wreath (the arts); Ceres with the grain (agriculture); Mercury with the winged helmet (trade); Minerva (wisdom); Bacchus with the grapes (wine); and Diana with the half moon (hunt).
caption: The heads on the façade
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