In September 1614 the idea arose to turn the Keizersgracht into a chic boulevard without water, following the example of Lange Voorhout in The Hague. This has been abandoned for a number of reasons. The vroedschap suspected that the future buyers of plots on the Keizersgracht wanted to be able to reach their home or warehouse by boat. Other considerations may have been the need for water storage, the easier supply of construction and embankment material, but above all the shortage of embankment material. At the same time, the construction of the fortifications also required a lot of embankment material. In November 1615 the allotment on the east side was completed. At 30 feet, the plots were given the same width as at the Herengracht. Construction progressed quickly: in 1618 there were hardly any undeveloped plots. The part between the Leidsegracht and the Amstel belongs to the fourth expansion (1658). In 1663 the actual digging of this part of the Keizersgracht started. In 1667, both parts of the Keizersgracht were connected.










