Huis de Pinto (Pinto House), Amsterdam

While the thoroughfare of Sint Antoniesbreestraat may have felt the relentless pressures of the developers' advances, the resplendent Pinto House stands as a testament to endurance, metamorphosed into a vibrant bastion of communal culture. Distinguished by its off-white Italianate façade, this edifice bears the name of Isaac de Pinto, a Sephardic Jew who, evading the clutches of the Inquisition, embarked on a transformative journey to become a founding figure of the Dutch East India Company.

In the annals of 1651, de Pinto inscribed his legacy by procuring this estate at the extravagant cost of 30,000 guilders, embarking upon an opulent reformation. The outcome was a stately manor characterized by a striking exterior, accentuated by the commanding presence of six towering pilasters, purposefully designed to guide one's gaze skyward toward the ornately embellished balustrade.

De Pinto's residence, a showcase of architectural grandeur, became a subject of fervent discourse, elevated even further when the interior received the artistic caress that mirrored the exterior's majesty. Venture inside and be transported to a realm of opulence, where the original painted ceiling, adorned with avian and cherubic motifs, serves as an awe-inspiring centerpiece. Moreover, a Louis XIV-style fireplace stands sentinel, a paragon of refined craftsmanship, transcending time and kindling an appreciation for a bygone epoch.