Last week, KLM celebrates its 105th anniversary, and true to tradition, this also means the unveiling of a new Delft Blue KLM house. The 105th house in the collection is the Huis aan de Drie Grachten (House on the Three Canals) in Amsterdam. This unique mansion dates back to 1610 and is built in the Dutch Renaissance style. This beautiful addition to the KLM house collection will be distributed to World Business Class travelers starting this week.
KLM celebrates its 105th anniversary
Each year on October 7, KLM celebrates its birthday, and it’s quite a remarkable milestone. KLM is the world’s oldest airline still operating under its original name. The airline’s 100th anniversary was a particularly big moment, marked by the introduction of Paleis Huis ten Bosch as house #100. Since then, other notable additions have included De Moriaan in Den Bosch (#101), the famous Tuschinski Theater in Amsterdam (#102), the Ecury family house in Aruba (#103), and last year’s Valkenburg Station (#104), see below.
This year, KLM celebrates its 105th birthday with Huis aan de Drie Grachten. The Dutch airline marked the occasion with an exclusive gathering of invited guests, including Flying Blue Ultimate members, and InsideFlyer was also present to cover this special celebration.
KLM has been giving World Business Class passengers a Delft Blue house, filled with Bols jenever, after their flights for decades, with the tradition dating back to the 1950s. There are now 105 houses in the collection, making them true collector’s items. Some of the rarer houses are even traded for high prices. All of the KLM houses can be viewed in the KLM Houses app, which also provides information on each one.
A canal tour through Amsterdam
The event began with a canal tour through the iconic waterways of Amsterdam, led by Mark Zegeling, a true authority on KLM houses. Zegeling is the author of the book Little Kingdom by the Sea, where he tells the stories behind the facades of the Delft Blue KLM houses.
Half of the original locations represented by the current KLM houses can be found in Amsterdam, and during the tour, we passed by many of these historic spots. Besides the famous museums, luxury hotels, and grand mansions, KLM’s houses also showcase lesser-known gems throughout the city. Interestingly, each Dutch province is home to at least one location featured in a KLM miniature, with the exception of Flevoland, who is still trying to get represented in the collection. Notably, all of the houses have their roots in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including its overseas territories.
KLM house #105: Huis aan de Drie Grachten
This year’s KLM house is located in Amsterdam, of course, at a historically significant site. Huis aan de Drie Grachten is a mansion that borders three canals: the Grimburgwal, the Oudezijds Voorburgwal, and the Oudezijds Achterburgwal. Built in 1610 in the Dutch Renaissance style, the mansion underwent a major renovation in 1909, further enhancing its architectural significance. The renovation restored the building to its 17th-century appearance. For many years, Huis aan de Drie Grachten served as a bookstore and publishing house.
The choice of another location in Amsterdam is well-timed, as the city celebrates its 750th anniversary starting October 27th, 2024. Celebrations will continue for a year, leading up to the big day on October 27th, 2025. Expect a year full of concerts, museum nights, and special events. If you’re planning to visit, don’t forget to check out our hotel reviews to help you pick the perfect stay.
The unveiling of KLM house #105
During the event, KLM’s CEO, Marjan Rintel, presented the new Delft Blue house to the gathered audience. The first house was handed to Arthur van Dijk, the King’s Commissioner for the province of North Holland. Rintel remarked that unveiling the new KLM house is always a special moment, especially since this year marks KLM’s 21st lustrum (105 years).
In her speech, Rintel also acknowledged the challenges that KLM has faced in recent years. This doesn’t just refer to the proposed reduction of operations at Schiphol, but also the financial difficulties faced by Air France-KLM. Recently, the company announced measures to address these challenges, which are expected to impact both employees and customers. However, Rintel assured that the KLM house tradition remains unaffected by these budget cuts.
“The unveiling of a new KLM house on our birthday is always a special moment, even more so when it marks a lustrum. We celebrate this anniversary during a challenging time for our company. Throughout our 105-year history, KLM has faced adversity before and has always shown creativity and resilience to overcome it. Our goal remains the same: a healthy and sustainable future for KLM. The measures we have recently announced lay the foundation for a strong KLM that will continue connecting the Netherlands with the world for the next 105 years,” Rintel said.
Cover photo: KLM / PR
