In 2020 my wife, daughter, son-in-law, and I jointly purchased a canal house in Utrecht built circa 1700, well before the American Revolution. It is the red brick house in the middle.

Utrecht is probably the only town in the world to have the canal be a full level below street level. The brick platforms are wharfs, where canal boats once loaded and unloaded goods.

This panoramic view distorts the scene in what I find to be a most pleasant way. The canal is actually straight here and the two bridges at either end are parallel to each other.