Grachtengordel in Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands — Northwestern Europe
Comenius
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, June 19, 2023
1. Comenius Marker
1656
Johan Amos
Comenius
Tsjechisch Pedagog
1592 1670
Johan Amos Comenius (1592-1670), the Czech pedagogue, stayed here in 1656.
Erected by Winkler Prins Stichting.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1656.
Location. 52° 22.585′ N, 4° 53.239′ E. Marker is in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland (North Holland). It is in Grachtengordel. It is on Keizersgracht, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Keizersgracht 123, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland 1015 CV, Netherlands. Touch for directions.
Regionally, it is in Europe, the European Union, Atlantic Europe, the Benelux Low Countries, the Schengen Area, Western Europe, and the Western World. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire and specifically also the Holy Roman Empire.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Hofje van Brienen (approx. 0.2 kilometers away); Rιnι Descartes (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Nico (Niek) Engelschman 1913-1988 (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Willem Arondιus (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Anne Frank Memorial (approx. 0.3 kilometers
this page online
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Also see . . . John Amos Comenius (Wikipedia).
Overview: John Amos Comenius (Czech: Jan Amos Komenskύ; Polish: Jan Amos Komeński; German: Johann Amos Comenius; Latinized: Ioannes Amos Comenius; 28 March 1592 15 November 1670) was a Moravian philosopher, pedagogue and theologian who is considered the father of modern education. He served as the last bishop of the Unity of the Brethren before becoming a religious refugee and one of the earliest champions of universal education, a concept eventually set forth in his book Didactica Magna. As an educator and theologian, he led schools and advised governments across Protestant Europe through the middle of the seventeenth century.(Submitted on July 7, 2023.)
Comenius introduced a number of educational concepts and innovations including pictorial textbooks written in native languages instead of Latin, teaching based in gradual development from simple to more comprehensive concepts, lifelong learningwith a focus on logical thinking over dull memorization, equal opportunity for impoverished children, education for women, and universal and practical instruction. He also believed heavily in the connection between nature, religion, and knowledge, in which he stated that knowledge is born from nature and nature from God. Besides his native Moravia, he lived and worked in other regions of the Holy Roman Empire, and other countries: Sweden, the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth, Transylvania, England, the Netherlands and Hungary.Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, June 19, 20232. Comenius Marker - wide view (Mercury, Bacchus, and Diana heads)Per Wikipedia, this building is known as The House with the Heads (known as 'Huis met de Hoofden' in Dutch) - 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. Comenius took refuge here from Leszno, Poland, where Catholic partisans had burnt down his home and printing press.
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, June 19, 2023
3. Comenius Marker - wider view
The marker is mounted to the exterior of what is now called The Embassy of the Free Mind, which is, as described by Wikipedia,
a museum, library and platform for free thinking, inspired by the philosophy of the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica collection. The museum focusses on the European culture of free thinking of the past 2.000 years, with Hermetic wisdom as the source of inspiration: insight into the connection between God, cosmos and man. This connection is reflected in the Hermetic, alchemical, astrological, magical, mystical, kabbalistic and Rosicrucian texts and images in the collection.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 7, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 187 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 7, 2023, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
