Amsterdam is one of Europe's relatively small metropolises. Until the 20th century, it could not be said to be an important architectural center. However, this is largely true for monumental/public architecture. In the context of the shaping of private space, the city has a remarkable history. For example, in the 17th century, as the Netherlands enriched itself with the profits of Asian trade and experienced its Golden Age, this city too seems to have been closely preoccupied with the problem of bourgeois housing. In fact, it can even be argued that Amsterdam's citizens played a revolutionary role in defining a new standard of comfort. However, this breakthrough was a local phenomenon rather than a development whose effects were felt outside the borders of the Netherlands. To gain architectural importance, Amsterdam had to wait until the end of the late 19th century.