Amsterdam tourist information
Although the seat of the government is at Den Haag (The Hague), Amsterdam is the nominal capital. Amsterdam is the Netherlands largest city, with a population of almost 750000, and the most visited, receiving over 3.5 milion foreign visitors a year. Amsterdam stands on precariously low-lying ground at the confluence of the Amstel and Ij rivers near the Ijseelmeer and, like much of the Netherlands, would flood frequently but for land reclamation and sea defences. This position places Amsterdam at the heart of the Randstad, a term used to describe the crescent shaped conurbation covering much of the provinces of Noord Holland, Zuid Holland and Utrecht, and encompassing the cities of Utrecht, Rotterdam, The Hague, Leiden and Haarlem.
Amsterdam, the greates planned city of northern Europe, is today one in which beauty and serenity co-exist happily with a slightly seamy underside. Both parts of this split personality continue to draw visitors to Amsterdam. Most of the racier aspects of Amsterdam spring directly from the city's long and hnourable tradition of religious, philosophical and political tolerance. Developing at a time when many countries were riven by conflict, a precedent for freedom of speech was established early in Amsterdam. The notion of individual freedom of conscience was fought for, long and hard, during the struggles against Spanish domination in the 16th century. This belief stands firm today, with the caveat that no-one should be harmed by the actions of others - a factor which sparked off the riots involving squatters in the 1970s.
Amsterdam was founded as a small fishing village in an improbable position on marsh at the mouth of the Amstel river. The waters around the village were controlled by a system of dykes and polders, and the young township expanded prodigiously to become the chief trading city of northern Europe, and ultimately, in the 17th century, the centre of a massive empire stretching across the world.
The construction of the canals and gabled houses in the 16th and 17th centuries - the hallmark Amsterdam - coincided with a period of fine domestic architecture. The glorious result is a city centre of unusually consistent visual beauty. By the 18th century, Amsterdam was a major financial centre, but internal unrest and restrictions imposed under Napoleonic rule led to a decline in her fortunes.
Amsterdam quietly slipped into a period of obscurity, and industrailization came late. In the 20th century, however, Amsterdam entered the European mainstream again. Its international airport, expanded in 1993, provides access for the world, and tourists pour in to see the stunning art museums and sample the delights of a mondern, vibrant city.
Exploring Amsterdam's Museums
The richness of Amsterdam's history and culture is reflected by its wide range of museums, which cover everything from beer, bibles, African masks to shipbuilding and space travel. Its national art galleries house some of the world's most famous paintings, including Rembrandt's The Night Watch. The Nederlands Scheepvaart Museum has the largest collection of model ships in the world, while the Anne Frankhuis is a stark reminder of the horrors of World War II.
The world's most important collection of Dutch Art is on display at the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. This vast museum contains approximately 5000 paintings, including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals and Albert Cuyp as well as a significant collection of sculptures, prints, artifacts and asiatic art.
A short stroll across Amsterdam's Museumsplein will bring you to the Van Gogh Museum. Besides a large collection of Van Gogh's paintings and drawings, which traces his entire career, you can see hundreds of his original letters to his brother Theo and the artist's private collection of Japanese prints. Works by other 19th century dutch painters are also displayed at Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum.
Amsterdam's Canals and Waterways
From the grace and elegance of the waterside mansions along the Grachtengordel (Canal Ring of Amsterdam) to the rows of converted warehouses on Brouwersgracht and the charming houses on Reguliersgracht, Amsterdam's canals and waterways embody the very spirit of Amsterdam. They are spanned by many beautiful bridges, including the famous Magere Brug, a traditionally styled lift bridge. You can also relax at one of the many canalside cafes or bars and watch an array of boats float by.
It is impossible to explore Amsterdam's canals and waterways without gaining a sense of Amsterdam's rich history. Many are crossed by charming bridges and lined with magnificent buildings, such as the ancient Oude Kerk, which overlooks Amsterdam's oldest canal, the Oudezijds Voorburgwal. First-time visitors to Amsterdam are advised to take a cruise to familiarize themselves with the complex network of waterways. Once you have got yur bearings, it is fun to explore them independently.
Amsterdam's Bridges
Amsterdam has nearly 1300 bridges crisscrossing its canals and waterways. At night, the bridges in the city centre of Amsterdam are lit up by strings of lights, making an evening canal-boat tour a magical experience. One of the prettiest views is found along Reguliersgracht, where seven bridges corss the water in quick succesion. The most famous bridge is the Magere Brug, a narrow wooden drawbridge over the Amstel. Downstream stands Amsterdam's most ornate bridge, the Blauwburg. The widest bridge is the Torensluis, which spans the Singel.
Amsterdam's Grachtengordel
Spurred by a rapidly growing population, an ambitious plan was drawn up by the city planner of Amsterdam. Hendrick STaets, at the beginning of the 17th century to quadruple the size of Amsterdam. In 1614, work began on cutting three new residential canals, collectively known as the Grachtengordel of Amsterdam, from Brouwersgracht in the west, to encircle the existing city. The land along these canals was settley by wealthy citizens and named after the city's ruling factions. The grandest was the Herengracht, named after the commercial patrician class. The Keizersgracht honoured the holy roman emperor and the Prinsengracht referred to Amsterdam's links with the House of Orange. Beyond the Grachtengordel workers' houses were put up along the darinage ditches in the Jordaan, and the expanded city was protected by a fortified canal, the Singelgracht.
Amsterdam aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Amsterdam aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Amsterdam.
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