Interior of the Rijksmuseum passage tunnel in Amsterdam, looking toward the open exit arch. Ribbed Gothic vaults span the brick ceiling; ornamental ironwork gates stand open under stained-glass transoms. A white bicycle lane stripe runs down the centre of the herringbone brick floor. Cyclists and pedestrians visible in the mid-ground and beyond.

Rijksmuseum Passage, Amsterdam — Gothic Vaults and Ironwork Gates

19 September 2017 · Amsterdam

The Rijksmuseum's public passage cuts straight through Pierre Cuypers' Neo-Gothic building, opening the city on both sides. Ribbed brick vaults run the length of the arcade; ornamental ironwork gates frame the arches and the stained glass above them catches what autumn light the overcast sky allows. A bicycle lane stripe bisects the herringbone brick floor, threading everyday Amsterdam through a 19th-century monument — the building is civic infrastructure as much as it is a museum.

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