Schmap Amsterdam Historical Background

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Amsterdam - Historical Background
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Amsterdam Home
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Amsterdam has always been a well-known name in world history. In the 17th century Amsterdam was the centre of world economics, but nowadays the city is known for its tolerant character.

Early Amsterdam

Holland in the 12th century was barely habitable. The land was very humid and consisted mainly of peat. Various rivers intersected the landscape. One of those was the River Amstel, which flowed into the River Ij. By the end of the twelfth century a small settlement arose near a dam in this river. Thanks to this dam the city is called Amsterdam; this dam is still the most important place in the city, but is now used as a square. Amsterdam became a town at the beginning of the 13th century, after the then sovereign lord declared it juridical as a town.

Meanwhile the town extended slowly from the centre around the Dam. Various ramparts were thrown up and canals were dug. Around 1420 the town was bursting at the seams once again. On the eastern part a new wall was built along the present Geldersekade and Kloveniersburgwal. On the west side a moat canal was dug. The economy at that time was not really developed, being based largely on beer and herrings. It was only after Amsterdam became a part of the Burgundian Empire during the 15th century that things began to go faster. Amsterdam's harbour had a stable function: fish from the south and grain from the Baltic countries were traded in the city's markets. Because of its economic prosperity, Amsterdam developed into Holland's largest city, with a population of about 30,000.

During the second half of the 16th century, Europe had to deal with reformation. The Low Countries seceded from Spain after the Eighty Years' War, renouncing Catholicism. For a long period Amsterdam was allied with the Spaniards, but in 1578 Amsterdam was finally united with the rest of the Netherlands as one of the newest cities. Holland was one of the most tolerant regions in Europe during this period. For that reason, many Protestants and Portuguese Jews who were persecuted elsewhere in Europe moved to cities in Holland. A large number of merchants from Antwerp resumed their business in Amsterdam, which meant a big boost for the local economy.

Golden Age

The Dutch were forced to find their own route to the Indies because of the annexation of Portugal by Spain in 1580. The first voyages to the Indies started in Amsterdam and were a major success. Stimulated by these results, plans were made everywhere in the country to send more ships to the Indies. Out of all these initiatives the United East Indian Company came into existence, the VOC. Over fifty percent of the capital from the new company was in the hands of Amsterdam. When the VOC was founded not only merchants were involved, but citizens invested in the project as well.

The 17th century was a period of glory for Amsterdam. Wealth, power, culture and forbearance flourished in the city. The population increased rapidly during this period and because of this, the city extended greatly. Amsterdam built its famous ring of canals, and tall houses were built on the canals, taller than in other old city centres in Holland. The Government strongly encouraged this development, because it added to Amsterdam's prestige. During the first half of this century two churches were built: Zuiderkerk and Westerkerk. The old gothic town hall was burnt down in 1652 and a new town hall, the present-day Palace on Dam Square was built. The Plaetse or Dam Square was enlarged by a huge degree, just like the rest of the city. After the Jordaan was completed, around 1700, approximately 200,000 people were living in Amsterdam.

Culturally these days were roaring as well. Due to Amsterdam's economic prosperity, its citizens could afford to surround themselves with objets d'art. Bredero, Vondel and P.C. Hooft wrote their famous poetry, while painter Rembrandt and his students had their atelier in Amsterdam. Philosophers like Spinoza and Descartes formulated their ideas on paper.

But in locations where things are going well, mischief lies in wait. In 1672 the powerful Netherlands got involved in a war with France and England. Amsterdam's harbour was inaccessible to the fleets sailing in from the Dutch Indies, and because of this the boisterous prosperity came to a halt by the end of the 17th century. The structure of Amsterdam's economy changed: the city lost its position as stable market for world trade. However, money transfers became more and more important and Amsterdam became the financial heart of the world, the banker for European Monarchs who financed their expensive wars with borrowed money.

After 1850

Amsterdam moved on quietly until industrialization also took its hold on the Netherlands. After 1850 the population in Amsterdam suddenly increased greatly: people moved to the city from all over the Netherlands in quest of employment. New residential quarters were needed, resulting in town developments like the Pijp and the Vondelpark. After 1920 the large developments with new districts in the west, south and east followed. Plan Zuid by architect Berlage is still very popular. North of the River Ij new quarters also arose.

But in 1939 one of the darkest pages in world history became a terrible reality: World War II. Amsterdam's population was hit very hard. Amsterdam had always had a lot of Jewish inhabitants, and many of them were deported and did not survive. Places like Anne Frank's House and the National Monument on Dam Square, are a reminder of this horrible period. After the war Amsterdam continued growing. In the sixties the Bijlmer was built, with its high blocks of flats, and the latest project is a new island in the River Ij, called Ij-Burg and featuring 20,000 houses.

Amsterdam is still the Netherlands' undisputed cultural centre with orchestras, ballet and stages, museums and galleries and two universities. Soccer plays an important role in the life of many Amsterdammers. In the seventies Amsterdam was famous once again because of Johan Cruyff and Ajax. Ajax and the Dutch national squad's victories are celebrated like real national feasts in Amsterdam. To sum up, Amsterdam is and will remain the true capital of the Netherlands!

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Ajax Museum

Holland's most famous club

ArenA Boulevard 3
Amsterdam 1101 EJ
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 311 1444
http://www.ajax.nl
info@ajax.nl

Ajax was founded almost a hundred years ago. The Ajax Museum in the Amsterdam Arena provides you, quite literally, with a dramatization of the whole story. Visitors can feast their eyes on a wealth of exhibits from the club's eventful history, long-lost photos, historical documents and much-coveted trophies. Personal possessions of legendary Ajax players are also on display. In short, a visit to the museum takes you on an unforgettable journey through the last 100 years.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Albert Cuypmarkt

Biggest daily market in Amsterdam Albert Cuypstraat 217-219
Amsterdam 1073 BG
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 693 7117
http://www.albertcuypmarkt.com
albert@albertcuypmarkt.com The Albert Cuyp, situated near the famous former Heineken brewery, is Amsterdam's largest and busiest daily market. From Monday to Saturday it is packed with local shoppers rather than tourists. You can buy anything here, from fresh fish to fresh fruit; from fabric to footwear - and of course you'll have to try the delicious traditional Dutch herring with onions and pickles. You can also find many exotic foods and herbs at this market, stocked by and for the non-Dutch Amsterdam community. Generally speaking the prices are low but make sure you are getting value for money. By visiting the Albert Cuyp market you'll get a taste of real multi-cultural Amsterdam streetlife.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Amstel

The river after which Amsterdam is named Muntplein
Amsterdam 1012 WP
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 201 8800 (Toerist Bureau) Amstel is the river from which Amsterdam took its name. It became the heart of the city after the river was dammed. From the south the river runs into town up to the town hall, near Waterloo and Munt squares. Then it branches off into several different streams throughout the city canals. At night, the river banks of the Amstel are a delightful place to enjoy the city lights.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Anne Frank House

Anne Frank's Hideaway Prinsengracht 267
Amsterdam 1016 GV
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 556 7105
http://www.annefrank.org Anne Frank and her family went into hiding here on July 6, 1942, and lived in isolation for over two years. The German occupation removed all the furniture when the inhabitants were detained in 1944. However, films and other media, including Anne's diary, give a good idea of what life was like. The museum opened on May 3, 1960, and an enormous visitors' center was constructed in the 1980s.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Beurs van Berlage

Architecture, Exhibitions & Concerts Damrak 277
Amsterdam 1012 ZJ
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 530 4141
http://www.beursvanberlage.nl/
info@beursvanberlage.nl H.P. Berlage (1856-1934), one of the most famous Dutch architects, built the Amsterdam Stock Exchange (nowadays called Beurs van Berlage) at the Damrak, near Centraal Station over a 5-year period (1898-1903). Berlage's intention was to produce a socialist building, in which all kinds of craftsmanship would come together to support the rise of the proletarian movements at the end of the 1800s in an architectural form. He is considered a forerunner of the Dutch architectural style, De Amsterdamse School (The Amsterdam School). The building isn't used as a Stock Exchange anymore; instead, all kinds of different exhibitions and concerts take place here.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Dam

War Memorial In Old City
Amsterdam 1012 JS
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 201 8800 (Tourist Information Centre) In the 13th Century the river Amstel was dammed here and on the banks of the river a small fishing community was founded, called Amstelredam. Boats could unload their freight here and alongside the Damrak. When the Nieuwe Kerk was rebuilt and the Royal Palace (originally the town hall) built, the enclosed square served as the city centre, both socially and for administrative purposes. The city was governed and law and order maintained from here, as can be seen in pictures of public executions on a scaffold in front of the town hall. After WWII, the War Memorial was erected on another square on the Dam, which is now a gathering place for thousands of people and numerous pigeons.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Dam Square

Amsterdam
Netherlands
The real core of the city is Dam Square with its beautiful Royal Palace. Most visitors arrive by train and the route they follow from Centraal Station takes them along the Damrak and Dam Square. This area is really focused on tourists. All kinds of souvenir shops, street performers and restaurants can be found here. The square is used for events and concerts and is famous because of the many pigeons. The two main shopping streets in Amsterdam, Kalverstraat and Nieuwendijk, come both out on Dam Square.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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IJ River Bank

IJ River Bank Bezoekerscentrum IJburg
Amsterdam 1095 KM
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 552 9696
http://www.ijoevers.nl
ijoever@pmb.nl Amsterdam is a blessed city with two invaluable rivers. As well as the Amstel there is the IJ River, which served as Amsterdam's harbour in the Golden Age. Eventually, the harbour fell into decline, and the buildings, warehouses, and shipyards all fell into disuse. In the 1980s, however, the tide turned. Amsterdam had a housing shortage, and the city regained interest in the river's potential. A variety of restructuring programmes followed, whereby the designers tried to fuse the remaining structure and character of the harbour with new architecture. In this, the town-planners certainly succeeded. The Java and the KNSM island is well worth a visit. It does not just offer a fantastic view over the IJ River and the city, but also an insight into how contemporary architecture is developing. Not surprisingly, it is a great attraction for many international architects and town planners.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Jordaan

Amsterdam
Netherlands
Built in 1612 during the expansion of the city, the Jordaan neighbourhood is well known all over the country for its specific street life, corny songs, sarcastic humour and working-class mentality. But this is mere nostalgia. Most of the Jordanezen (the native inhabitants) left some years ago for improved housing in neighbouring cities like Almere and Purmerend. Nowadays, it is a district with a lot of students and young urban professionals. The Jordaan accommodates many bars and cosy restaurants and is like a village in the big city. It is located between Brouwersgracht, Prinsengracht, Raamstraat, and Marnixstraat.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Koninklijk Palace

Former City Hall, now the Royal Palace Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 147
Amsterdam 1012 RJ
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 320 4060
http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/e...
info@dkh.nl In the mid-17th Century the painter Jacob van Campen was given the assignment to design a new town hall. The city council wanted a grand symbol for their leading role in Europe at that time - Holland's Golden Age, as well as economic and civic power. The building had to make this clear for everyone to see. The town hall became the biggest in Europe. In 1808 the building was 'transformed' into a Royal Palace by the brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, Louis, king of the region during the French occupation. Nowadays, it is still a royal residence. The Dutch royal family, the Oranje-Nassau's, receive royalty and dignitaries at the palace. The new king or queen also present themselves to the citizens of the Netherlands from the balcony of the palace.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Rijksmuseum

Holland's most famous museum Jan Luijkenstraat 1
Amsterdam 1071 ZD
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 674 7000
http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/
info@rijksmuseum.nl This museum is considered a true national treasure. Its exhibits include paintings from the Netherlands' 17th century Golden Age by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals and Jan Steen. Rembrandt's "Night Watch" is the museum's centerpiece. You'll also find works from the Middle Ages and the 18th and 19th centuries, superb collections of silver and delftware ceramics, old doll's houses and fantastic examples of Asian Art. See website for visitor information, event schedule and more.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Shipping Museum

For old times sake Kattenburgerplein 1
Amsterdam 1018 KK
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 523 2222
http://www.scheepvaartmuseum.nl
info@scheepvaartmuseum.nl This museum is located in a 17th Century building previously used as a naval storage depot for the navy. You can see the exciting story of Dutch shipping and trade since the 16th Century in the Maritime Museum. Your voyage through the museum begins downstairs at the wonderful royal barge. The museum has more than 25 rooms featuring paintings, navigation instruments and model ships including old sailing vessels, luxury passenger ships and container ships. You can also view scenes of sea battles and portraits of naval heroes, trace the routes to far-away places on authentic maps, peer through a periscope and visit a radar cabin.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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The South Church

The South Church Zuiderkerkhof 72
Amsterdam 1011 WB
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 552 7987
http://www.zuiderkerk.amsterda...
zuiderkerk@dro.amsterdam.nl Zuiderkerk, in the heart of the city centre, allows visitors a chance to see a detailed picture of the city planning and housing in Amsterdam through the ages. The permanent section of the exhibition gives a complete view of the urban development of the city from the Middle Ages to the present day. Temporary exhibitions concerning new plans for the city are also staged. This is all illustrated by means of scale-models, drawings, photos and slides. Several architectural walks through Amsterdam are available here in a number of languages. Zuiderkerk was built in the early 17th Century as the first Protestant Church in Holland. The church, built in the Dutch Renaissance style, has a magnificent tower with a carillon. The carillon is played every Thursday between noon and 1p.

Review © 2007, Wcities

The West Church

Amsterdam's Most Famous Church Prinsengracht 281
Amsterdam 1016 GW
Netherlands
+31 20 624 7766
http://www.westerkerk.nl
info@westerkerk.nl The Netherlands's most renowned church has been the source of inspiration for many musicians. The famous tower was completed in 1638, its bells manufactured by the renowned François Hemony foundry in 1658. Though the Protestant community owned the church, the tower was the property of the local authorities and served as a lookout. This marks the site of Rembrandt's burial, as well as the marriage of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus. For Anne Frank the ringing of the clock was a beacon of hope during WWII.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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VondelPark

City Center Green vondelpark
Amsterdam 1054 ET
Netherlands
+31 20 523 7790 This large, green oasis was created in the second half of the 19th century, and named after the poet Joost van den Vondel (1587-1679), a statue of whom was unveiled here in 1867. Today Vondelpark, one of the most-visited spots in the city, is a restful haven for citizens away from the city's chaos. Come here for inline skating, let your children play in the large playground or have a cup of coffee on one of the four terraces.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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