House in Zaandam. Model by F. De Richemont, early 19th century. In its day, the Zaan was the busiest industrial area in Europe. Reason enough for Tsar Peter I to visit Zaandam. He stayed at the house of Gerrit Kist, who had worked as a smith in Moscow. But whenever he visited the workshops and shipyards along the Zaan, the tsar was mobbed by crowds of onlookers. He soon decided to move to Amsterdam. In all, Peter stayed in the wooden house for seven nights.