TRAVEL AMESTERDAM
(Including out day tours of Keukenhof, Madurodam, Volendam)
(Including out day tours of Keukenhof, Madurodam, Volendam)
GENERAL INFORMATION - Amsterdam is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands. Its status as the Dutch capital is mandated by the Constitution of the Netherlands though it is not the seat of the Dutch government, which is at The Hague. Amsterdam is one of the most romantic and beautiful cities in Europe. Amsterdam has a population of 8, 05,166 within the city-proper, 15, 63,141 in the urban region and 23, 49,870 in the greater metropolitan area. Amsterdam's name derives from- a dam in the river Amstel. Originating as a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age, a result of its innovative developments in trade. During that time, the city was the leading centre for finance and diamonds. The 17th-century canals of Amsterdam and the 19&20th century Defence Line of Amsterdam are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city is also the cultural capital of the Netherlands. Many large Dutch institutions have their headquarters there and 7 of the world's top 500 companies, including Philips and ING, are based in the city. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange is the oldest stock exchange in the world, it is located in the city centre. Amsterdam is characterized by its (perceived) social tolerance and diversity. Forty-five percent of the population of Amsterdam has non-Dutch parents. Large social groups come from Surinam, the Dutch Antilles, Morocco and Turkey. The oldest area of the town is known as de Wallen (the quays). It lies to the east of Damrak and contains the city's famous red light district. To the south of de Wallen is the old Jewish quarter of Waterlooplein. The 17th century canals of Amsterdam known as the Grachtengordel, embraces the heart of the city. Amsterdam is one of the most bicycle-friendly large cities in the world and is a centre of bicycle culture with good facilities for cyclists such as bike paths and bike racks and several guarded bike storage garages (fietsenstalling) which can be used for a nominal fee. In 2013, there were about 12, 00,000 bicycles in Amsterdam outnumbering the amount of citizens in the city. The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy, meaning that the King is the head of state in a parliamentary democracy. King Willem-Alexander has been the head of state of the Kingdom of the Netherlands since April 2013 (taking over from his mother, the now Princess Beatrix) and he, together with the ministers, make up the government. The Dutch Royal House is the House of Orange-Nassau, which dates back to William of Orange (1533-1584). This is why the colour orange is so prominent in the Netherlands, especially on King's Day.The King’s official birthday celebration when Amsterdam is bathed in this cheery colour. 2013 was a significant year for the Dutch monarchy. On 28 January 2013, Queen Beatrix surprised the entire nation by announcing that she would relinquish the throne to her son, Willem-Alexander. On 30 April, the former date of the Queen's Day celebrations, she signed the Instrument of Abdication at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. The investiture of His Majesty the King and Queen Máxima followed at the Nieuwe Kerk. The new royal couple has three daughters: Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane. The number of canals has led Amsterdam to become known as “The Venice of the North”. And thus, a trip to Amsterdam is not complete without a boat cruise. A canal tour can be both fascinating and relaxing by day and enchanting and romantic at night when many of the houses and bridges are illuminated. The four main city centre canals are Prinsengracht, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Singel. There are also numerous smaller canals in the neighbourhood of Jordaan, of which the Brouwersgracht, the Bloemgracht and the Leliegracht are especially pleasant.
HISTORY- In the last millennium, a handful of adventurers came floating down the river Amstel in hollowedout logs. Out of the marshlands and swamps surrounding the Amstel River a structure of dams and dikes was forged, the first of which is marked by the Dam Square at the heart of the city today. These canny "Aemstelledammers" began exacting toll money from the passing beer and herring traders of the roaring Eastern Sea Trade of the Baltics. They quickly became expert boat builders and brewers; attracting more interest in the emerging town. In 1275, Count Floris of Holland formalized these activities by granting special toll privileges to the merchant town and in 1300 the town got its first charter. Amsterdam was granted city rights in either 1300 or 1306. From the 14th century on, Amsterdam flourished, largely because of trade with the Hanseatic League. By the end of the 15th century, the city developed rapidly. After the Spaniards conquered Antwerp, many rich Jews fled to Amsterdam. The money they brought with them was used to organize trips to India, which proved a huge commercial success. Then in 1602, the Dutch East India Company was founded. The city of Amsterdam had a majority share in the organization, which was to become the first multinational company in the world. The result was a period of unprecedented prosperity, causing the 17th century to become known as the Golden Age. The Dutch rebelled against Philip II of Spain and his successors. The main reasons for the uprising were the imposition of new taxes, the tenth penny and the religious persecution of Protestants by the Spanish Inquisition. The revolt escalated into the Eighty Years' War, which ultimately led to Dutch independence. The 17th century is considered Amsterdam's Golden Age, during which it became the wealthiest city in the world. Ships sailed from Amsterdam to the Baltic Sea, North America, and Africa, as well as present-day Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, and Brazil, forming the basis of a worldwide trading network. Amsterdam's merchants had the largest share in both the Dutch East India Company and the Dutch West India Company. These companies acquired overseas possessions that later became Dutch colonies. Amsterdam was Europe's most important point for the shipment of goods and was the leading Financial Centre of the world. In 1602, the Amsterdam office of the Dutch East India Company became the world's first stock exchange by trading in its own shares. Amsterdam's prosperity declined during the 18th and early 19th centuries. The wars of the Dutch Republic with England and France took their toll on Amsterdam. During the Napoleonic Wars, Amsterdam's significance reached its lowest point, with Holland being absorbed into the French Empire. The end of the 19th century is sometimes called Amsterdam's second Golden Age. New museums, a train station were built, in this same time, the Industrial Revolution reached the city. The Amsterdam-Rhine Canal was dug to give Amsterdam a direct connection to the Rhine and the North Sea Canal was dug to give the port a shorter connection to the North Sea. Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940 and took control of the country. Some Amsterdam citizens sheltered Jews, thereby exposing themselves and their families to the high risk of being imprisoned or sent to concentration camps. More than 1, 00,000 Dutch Jews were deported to Nazi concentration camps of which some 60,000 lived in Amsterdam. Flora Holland-the flower auction in Naaldwijk is the largest cut flower and plant auction house in the world and is responsible for over 90% of Dutch trade in those products. The second largest auction house is VBA Aalsmeer.
GEOGRAPHY- Amsterdam is located in the western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The river Amstel terminates in the city centre and connects to a large number of canals that eventually terminate in the IJ. Amsterdam is situated 2 meters below sea level. The surrounding land is flat as it is formed of large polders. Amsterdam is connected to the North Sea through the long North Sea Canal.
AREA- 219Km2 (Land=166 Km2 +Water=53 Km2)
POPULATION- 8, 05,166
CO-ORDINATES- 52°22′23″N 4°53′32″E
TIME ZONE- UTC+1 , Summer UTC+2
CLIMATE-The temperature of the year is as follows-
AREA- 219Km2 (Land=166 Km2 +Water=53 Km2)
POPULATION- 8, 05,166
CO-ORDINATES- 52°22′23″N 4°53′32″E
TIME ZONE- UTC+1 , Summer UTC+2
CLIMATE-The temperature of the year is as follows-
AVE JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
MAX 6 6 10 13 17 20 22 22 19 14 10 6
MIN 0.8 0.5 3 5 8 11 13 13 11 7 4 1
MAX 6 6 10 13 17 20 22 22 19 14 10 6
MIN 0.8 0.5 3 5 8 11 13 13 11 7 4 1
AIRPORT-Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (IATA: AMS) is less than 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam Central Station. It is the biggest airport in the Netherlands and the fourth largest in Europe and the 12TH largest in the world in terms of passengers. It handles about 50 million passengers per year and is the home base of four airlines, KLM, transavia.com, Martinair and Arkefly.
AMSTERDAM SIGHTS & ATTRATIONS-
AMSTERDAM SIGHTS & ATTRATIONS-
001- KONINKLIJK PALEIS (ROYAL PALACE) - Royal Palace on Amsterdam’s Dam Square is one of three palaces (The state-owned palaces are- Noordeinde, Huis ten Bosch and the Royal Palace) in Amsterdam still in use by the Dutch royal family. This palace was built as the Town Hall of the City of Amsterdam and was opened as such on 29 July 1655 .This palace is presently used for state visits, award ceremonies and other official receptions. When the palace is not being used by the royal family, it is open to the public. Visitors can explore the magnificent interior and discover the rich history of the building. To counter Amsterdam’s sand, the building stands on 13,659 wooden piles. Yellowish sandstone from Bentheim in Germany was used for the entire building. The stone has darkened considerably in the course of time. Marble was the chosen material for the interior. The central hall is 120 feet long, 60 feet wide and 90 feet high. On the marble floor there are two maps of the world with a celestial hemisphere. The Western and Eastern hemispheres are shown on the maps. The hemispheres detail the area of Amsterdam's colonial influence. The terrestrial hemispheres were made in the mid-18th century. On top of the palace is a large domed cupola, topped by a weather vane in the form of a cog ship. This ship is a symbol of Amsterdam. Just underneath the dome there are a few windows. From here one could see the ships arrive and leave the harbour. The balcony of the Royal Palace was used during the investiture of Queen Beatrix in 1980, where her mother Juliana announced the new Queen to the people. The then Prince Willem Alexander and Princess Máxima kissed on the balcony on their wedding day on 2 February 2002. The Royal Palace served as Amsterdam’s city hall for its first 150 years of existence. It was then used for 5 short years as an Imperial Palace. In 1808, French conqueror Napoleon appointed his brother Louis as King of the Netherlands and Louis took up residence here. As the empire started to crumble, Louis made a hasty retreat, leaving many of his opulent furnishings behind. Following the departure of the French, the building was used for ceremonies and receptions by the Dutch royal family. The palace became state property in 1936, and Queen Beatrix and her family continue to receive important (international) guests here. It is situated on the west side of Dam Square in the centre of Amsterdam, opposite the War Memorial and next to the Nieuwe Kerk.
002-OUDE KERK(OLD HURH) - The800 year old Oude Kerk ("old church") is Amsterdam’s oldest building and oldest parish church, founded in 1213 and finally consecrated in 1306 by the Bishop of Utrecht with Saint Nicolas as its patron saint. The church covers an area of some 3,300 m2 (36,000 sq. ft.). The foundations were set on an artificial mound, thought to be the most solid ground of the settlement in this marshy province. After the Reformation in 1578 it became a Calvinist church, which it remains today. It stands in De Wallen, now Amsterdam's main red-light district. The square surrounding the church is the Oudekerksplein. The floor consists entirely of gravestones. The reason for this is that the church was built on a cemetery. Local citizens continued to be buried on the site within the confines of the church until 1865. There are 2500 graves in the Oude Kerk. In mid-March each year, Catholics arrive at the Oude Kerk to celebrate the "Miracle of Amsterdam" that occurred in 1345. After taking communion, a dying man vomited the Host. When his vomit was thrown on the fire, the Host did not burn and was proclaimed a miracle. The Host was put in a chest and installed at the Oude Kerk, however, it disappeared during the Reformation. Today, the Oude Kerk is a centre for both religious and cultural activities and can be rented for presentations, receptions and dinner parties. Among the events hosted is the prestigious annual World Press Photo awards ceremony. Part of the Oudekerksplein, the square surrounding the church, is used by prostitutes who offer their services from behind windows. The street also features a bronze relief of a hand caressing a breast that was set in the cobblestone at night by an anonymous artist. In March 2007, a bronze statue named Belle honouring the prostitutes of the world was also installed there.
003-RIJKS MUSEUM/NATIONAL MUSEUM - The Rijksmuseum is a Dutch national museum dedicated to arts and history in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough of Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and the Concertgebouw. The Rijksmuseum was founded in the Hague in 1800 and moved to Amsterdam in 1808, where it was first located in the Royal Palace and later in the Trippenhuis. The current main building was originally opened in 1885.The museum has on display 8,000 objects of art and history, from their total collection of 1 million objects from the years 1200–2000, among which are some masterpieces by Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Johannes Vermeer. The museum has a small Asian collection which is on display in the Asian Pavilion. It also displays the stern of the HMS Royal Charles which was captured in the Raid on the Medway. Rembrandt's The Night Watch is the most famous painting of the museum.
004-BEGIJNHOF-The Begijnhof is one of Amsterdam's best known Hofjes (alms houses). It consists of a group of houses built around a secluded courtyard and garden which provided modest homes for the Beguines - a group of unmarried religious women who lived together in a close community under vows of chastity. These were women who lived like nuns without ever taken an oath to God. This sisterhood of Catholics cared for the sick and gave education to the poor. They had their own set of rules and were for instance allowed to leave the sisterhood to get married. The Begijnhof is a tranquil oasis in the bustling centre of Amsterdam. The English Reformed Church (Engelsekerk) is at the centre of the courtyard, which is bordered by the busy Kalverstraat and Spui. The last Beguine died in 1971, and one sister was buried in a “grave in the gutter” that's still often adorned with flowers. Although the Begijnhof dates back to the 14th century, most of the gothic facades were replaced in the 17th and 18th centuries. The wooden house (Houten Huys) at Begijnhof 34 is the oldest house in Amsterdam. The Begijnhof chapel also features a series of panels telling the story of the Miracle of Amsterdam.
005- ANNE FRANK- Anne Frank is one of Amsterdam’s most well-known former residents, it is located on the Prinsengracht canal in Amesterdam. The Anne Frank House at Prinsengracht 263 in Amsterdam, is where Anne Frank lived in hiding with her family for more than two years during World War II. Now converted into a museum, it was opened on 3 May 1960 with the aid of public subscription, it contains a sobering exhibition about the persecution of the Jews during the war as well as discrimination in general. Born in 1929, Anne Frank was the younger daughter of Otto Frank and Edith Frank-Hollander. This German-Jewish family, which included older sister Margot, lived a peaceful life in Germany until the days of Hitler and his "ethnic cleansing" mission .With anti-Semitism continuing to grow, Otto moved to the Netherlands in 1933 and the family soon followed. By 1940, Hitler invaded the Netherlands, making life difficult for the family, who were made to go to all-Jewish schools and wear yellow stars that signified their ethnicity. In 1942, Margot is summoned to report to a work camp in Germany. Expecting this to happen and refusing to let her go, Otto Frank has already found a hiding place for the family - an empty section of the building owned by the company for which Otto works. The family packs up a few meagre belongings and proceeds to the place where they will live for 2 years, in constant fear of being discovered. They are eventually betrayed in 1944. Anne's famous diary was a present for her 13th birthday and throughout her years in hiding she documented not only the family's struggle against the Nazis but also outlined her Anne Frank House, Amsterdam personal relationships with the others in hiding .The rooms at the Anne Frank House still portray the atmosphere of the period spent in hiding. Though the total amount of floor space in the inhabited rooms came to only about 500 square feet, Anne Frank wrote in her diary that it was relatively luxurious compared to other hiding places they had heard about. They remained hidden here for two years and one month until they were anonymously betrayed to the Nazi authorities, arrested, and deported to their deaths in concentration camps. Historical documents, photographs, film images and original objects that belonged to those in hiding and those who assisted them help illustrate the events that took place. Anne’s original diary and other notebooks are also on display in the museum .The doorway to the annex was concealed behind a specially constructed moveable bookcase. On 4 August 1944, their hiding place was betrayed. Only Otto Frank survived the war. After Otto Frank returned to Amsterdam, he was given Anne's diaries and papers and subsequently compiled selections into a book published in Dutch in 1947 under the title Het Achterhuis , which Anne had chosen as the name of a future memoir or novel based on her experiences in hiding.
006-NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM- Housed in a 350-year-old warehouse, formerly an arsenal for the Admiralty of Amsterdam, the Scheepvaartmuseum (Maritime Museum) is truly one of the best maritime museums in the world, offering the most comprehensive look at the Netherlands' centuries-long tie to the sea .Inside the Netherlands Maritime Museum, you'll find fascinating artefacts and information on four centuries of Dutch naval history. The interior of the museum is immense, consisting of 25 rooms full of things like maps, paintings, navigational instruments, weaponry and ship replicas .There's an extensive exhibit on the Dutch East India Company, touting the important role it played in early international trade. Visitors can climb aboard a replica of the merchant ship Amsterdam, which sank off the coast of Hastings, England in 1749 on its first trip to the Spice Islands, now known as Indonesia. Some of the most valuable and interesting parts of the permanent collection are the old maps, atlases and charts that date back as far as the 15th century, many penned by Holland's master cartographers. Of particular interest to Americans may be the artefacts that pertain to the purchase of the Dutch colony in the New World, known at that time as New Amsterdam. There's even a receipt for the land which is now Albany, New York. The most impressive of those is one of the museum's top attractions is the 'golden' royal barge, a gilded barge built in 1818 for King Willem I. The 17m (56ft) long barge was last used in 1962 for the 25th Wedding Anniversary of Queen Juliana.
007-MONTELBAANSTOREN- Montelbaanstoren, built in 1512, is a piece of the protective wall that still stands today, one of just a few small sections that remain throughout the city. The tower housed Amsterdam's military guards, stationed there in order to spy any approaching armies who may be trying to overtake the city, making their way towards the port. For Montelbaanstoren, Historians say the tower was also a gathering place for sailors who would meet at the base of Montelbaanstoren before heading off to far-away lands on long sea voyages. The tower is located at a canal called Oude Schans. Today, Montelbaanstoren houses the offices of another water-related endeavour,Amsterdam's Department of Sewage and Water Management.
008- AWEIGH HOUSE (WAAG) -It was built in 1488, was intended to be one of Amsterdam's three main city gates. This particular one was known as St. Anthony's Port.The gate served its purpose until about a century later in 1601 - when the city tore down its walls to make room for expansion. Amsterdam needed to find a new purpose for this beautifully ornate gate and settled upon using it as a weigh house. Goods were obviously weighed here and it was also in this building that taxes were levied .The upper floors of the gate were used for other purposes. One of the larger rooms served as a guardroom for the city's militia while other rooms were designated for members of particular guilds such as surgeons, blacksmiths, masons and artists. Doors that led to these rooms were adorned with a symbol of that particular guild .Some of the guilds made changes to the building including adding staircases and ornamental decorations .The dark period for St. Anthony's Port came during the early 19th century, when Napoleon ordered public executions be performed here. In 1996, the Restaurant-Café In de Waag opened inside the old gate. Lit by 300 candles and high-hanging candelabras, the castle-like restaurant serves lunch and dinner and is available for special functions. A light breakfast and coffee is available as early as 10 am.
009- NIEUWE KERK-The Nieuwe Kerk is a 15th-century church in Amsterdam, located on Dam Square, next to the Royal Palace. The church is in use by the Dutch royal family for investitures, most recently that of King Willem-Alexander in 2013 and weddings, most recently the wedding of Willem-Alexander to Máxima in 2002. The investitures of Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and Juliana of the Netherlands also took place there .The Nieuwe Kerk is no longer used for church services but is used as an exhibition space. It is also used for organ recitals. There is a café in one of the buildings attached to the church that has an entrance to the church (during opening hours). There is a museum store inside the entrance that sells postcards, books, and gifts having to do with the church and its exhibitions .The Nieuwe Kerk is a burial site for Dutch naval heroes, including Admiral Michiel de Ruyte r, Commodore Jan van Galen, and Jan van Speyk. The poet and playwright Joost van den Vondel is also buried in the church.
010- WESTER KERK -This is a 17th-century Protestant church which is the largest of its kind in the Netherlands located mere footsteps from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Since first opening to parishioners in 1631, the Westerkerk has borne witness to countless historical moments over the centuries. Rembrandt van Rijn is buried in the Westerkerk as are several other famous Dutch artists. Anne Frank was soothed by the chimes of the church’s clock tower while in hiding and mentioned it several times in her famous diary. Former Queen Beatrix was also married there back in 1966. Visitors and churchgoers alike now flock to the Westerkerk for its religious services and summer concert series.
011-CENTRAL STATION- Main hub of transportation, Regional, International trains arrives, centre for city trams and buses. Amsterdam Central Station is Amsterdam’s main railway station, located in the heart of the city. The station itself is one of Amsterdam’s most impressive buildings and it used by more than 2, 50,000 passengers each day. The station building was first open to the public in 1889. The roof spans approximately 40 meters and features cast iron fabrication. The building is situated on three man-made islands which are supported by 8,687 wooden piles pounded deep into the sandy soil. The building has two large clocks tower, one with clock & other for wind vane.
012-AMESTERDAM CANAL-Originally they are in three concentric- semi-circular canals. Canal is flushed three times a week, water flows in & from North Sea. Despite this, it's important to remember that the canals are used as sewage dumps for the many houseboats that line the city's waterways. For that reason, it's never a good idea to go swimming in the canal, though you'll see barges regularly cleaning out debris. There are 90 islands and 1280 bridges, all within the city limits. The canal ends in squares on the outskirts of the city, which were used as parking spaces. A municipal canal-bus system travels three different routes throughout the city, allowing locals an easy way to get to and from work and giving visitors the opportunity to travel from one attraction to the other on the water. The canals in Amsterdam also provide a popular place for recreational activities from boating to parades. Many of the city's special events are held upon the waters of the canals. In the winter, locals ice skate on the frozen waters and then retire to the local eatery for a traditional cup of "snert" - pea soup. Thirdly, the canals serve as a home for those who choose to live on one of Amsterdam's many houseboats. In the early 17th century, when immigration was at a peak, a comprehensive plan was developed that was based on four concentric half-circles of canals with their ends emerging at the IJ bay. Known as the Grachtengordel, three of the canals were mostly for residential development- the Herengracht, ("Canal of the Lords"), Keizersgracht (Emperor's Canal), and Prinsengracht (Prince's Canal).The fourth and outermost canal is the Singelgracht, which is often not mentioned on maps, because it is a collective name for all canals in the outer ring. The Singelgracht should not be confused with the oldest and most inner canal Singel. The canals served for defence, water management and transport. The defences took the form of a moat and earthen dikes, with gates at transit points, but otherwise no masonry superstructures. Over the years, several canals have been filled in, becoming streets or squares, such as the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal and the Spui.
013- AMSTERDAM’S BRIDGES- Amsterdam has so many picturesque bridges adding to its lovely cityscape. With more than 1,200 bridges some are historic (the oldest is from 1648), some are romantic and several are awe-inspiring feats of engineering. During the day they are beautiful, but at night some are elevated further with dazzling illumination adding to the charm. Head over to the corner of Reguliersgracht and Herengracht canal to catch a view of 15 of Amsterdam’s bridges -
i-Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge) is one of Amsterdam’s most iconic drawbridges. There's a tale connected with this lovely and most popular bridge, which spans the Amstel River . The nickname of the bridge merely stemmed from the fact that it was so narrow that two pedestrians could not pass each. It's no longer skinny, as the original span was replaced with a wider bridge in 1871. Skinny Bridge, Amsterdam Pedestrians and bicycles can now cross the Amstel River with ease. Featured in many films, the white-coated bridge is easily recognizable. It has two sides that can be opened - which usually do so simultaneously and counterweights are placed in the bridge to balance the weight and make it easier to open. Most of the other bridges in Amsterdam are single-swipe, with only one side able to open to let water traffic pass through. Approximately every twenty minutes, the bridge opens to let boats through. The original bridge was built in 1670, but as the traffic on Amstel increased, a wider bridge was built to replace the narrow one.
ii-BridgeThe Torensluis Bridge was completed in 1648 and is Amsterdam’s oldest bridge still in its original state. It was once part of a moat around Amsterdam, so it is also the widest bridge in the city. Look for the barred windows under the bridge that serve as a reminder of the former prison once housed there.
iii- Python Bridge is one of the most unusual bridges in Amsterdam as it’s red snake-like shape bridges between Sporenburg and Borneo Island. It is also one of the newest, built in 2001 and winning the International Footbridge Award in 2002.
iv-Jan Schaefer Bridge is another of Amsterdam’s newer bridges. It passes through the middle of Pakhuis De Zwijger and spans the 200 metre-wide IJ Harbour. Every five years the bridge is dismantled for Sail Amsterdam.
v-Bridge Nescio spans the Rijn Canal in Amsterdam’s I Jburg neighbourhood . It is the Netherland’s first suspension bridge and the longest at 780 meters long. The bridge was designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, who also designed the Millennium Bridge in London.
i-Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge) is one of Amsterdam’s most iconic drawbridges. There's a tale connected with this lovely and most popular bridge, which spans the Amstel River . The nickname of the bridge merely stemmed from the fact that it was so narrow that two pedestrians could not pass each. It's no longer skinny, as the original span was replaced with a wider bridge in 1871. Skinny Bridge, Amsterdam Pedestrians and bicycles can now cross the Amstel River with ease. Featured in many films, the white-coated bridge is easily recognizable. It has two sides that can be opened - which usually do so simultaneously and counterweights are placed in the bridge to balance the weight and make it easier to open. Most of the other bridges in Amsterdam are single-swipe, with only one side able to open to let water traffic pass through. Approximately every twenty minutes, the bridge opens to let boats through. The original bridge was built in 1670, but as the traffic on Amstel increased, a wider bridge was built to replace the narrow one.
ii-BridgeThe Torensluis Bridge was completed in 1648 and is Amsterdam’s oldest bridge still in its original state. It was once part of a moat around Amsterdam, so it is also the widest bridge in the city. Look for the barred windows under the bridge that serve as a reminder of the former prison once housed there.
iii- Python Bridge is one of the most unusual bridges in Amsterdam as it’s red snake-like shape bridges between Sporenburg and Borneo Island. It is also one of the newest, built in 2001 and winning the International Footbridge Award in 2002.
iv-Jan Schaefer Bridge is another of Amsterdam’s newer bridges. It passes through the middle of Pakhuis De Zwijger and spans the 200 metre-wide IJ Harbour. Every five years the bridge is dismantled for Sail Amsterdam.
v-Bridge Nescio spans the Rijn Canal in Amsterdam’s I Jburg neighbourhood . It is the Netherland’s first suspension bridge and the longest at 780 meters long. The bridge was designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, who also designed the Millennium Bridge in London.
014- SINGEL-The Singel is a canal in Amsterdam which encircled the city in the Middle Ages. It served as a moat around the city until 1585, when Amsterdam expanded beyond the Singel. The canal runs from the IJ bay, near Central Station, to the Muntplein square, where it meets the Amstel river. It is now the inner-most canal in Amsterdam's semi-circular ring of canals. Amsterdam's famous Flower Market, Bloemenmarkt, is located along the Singel between Koningsplein and Muntplein squares. The market stalls are actually boats floating in the canal. Part of the Singel has been designated a red-light district, with prostitutes offering their services from behind red-lit windows. The area, known as the Singelgebied, is located near Lijnbaanssteeg and Oude Nieuwstraat. The Singel is lined by many beautiful, richly decorated canal houses built during the Dutch Golden Age. In the 17th century the canal was known for some time as Koningsgracht ("King's Canal"), in honor of King Henry IV of France, who was an important ally of the Dutch Republic during the early part of the 17th century.
015-CANAL HOUSES -The canal houses have the beautiful architecture and canals, but the tiny alleys, beautiful gardens and stories hidden behind their historic facades. Canal houses offer a perfect vantage point to the bustling canal area, where bicyclists, boats and tourists zip past. Many of Amsterdam’s canal houses were built during the height of the Dutch Golden Age, serving as home and workplace and were distinguished by the striking gables and dual entrances. There were generally attic and basement spaces to store goods such as cotton or cocoa, and hooks were affixed to the top of the long narrow houses to hoist furniture and goods up and through the windows. There are several museums that have set up shop in the canal houses. The Canal House Museum (Grachtenmuseum), located on the picturesque Herengracht, offers a multimedia history and showcases the Canal Ring expansion. The museum is also equipped to help you plan a personalized itinerary to further explore the area. The Museum van Loon, once home to the co-founder of the Dutch East Indian Company, is well preserved and features a piano nobile first floor and original coach house. The Museum Geelvinck, showcasing 17th century patrician wealth in a well-maintained canal house built as a status symbol for a Golden Age power couple. The museum often hosts concerts, such as violin or pianoforte. There are several in Amsterdam, varying from basic 1 star accommodation to 5 star grandeur. The Canal House Hotel is suitably glamorous and all the rooms are decorated with antiques. The acclaimed Pulitzer Hotel was constructed by combining 25 canal houses. And hotels like Hotel Orlando and The Toren pride themselves on personal service and stylish interiors.
016- FLOWER MARKET- A floating flower market which is situated on the Singel Canal, one of the oldest canals in Amsterdam. When the market was first established in 1862, the plants and flowers sold there were brought to Amsterdam on barges via canal from various parts of the city. It was easier to organize the market on the water than transport all the plants to land. Today, fresh flowers are still brought in every day, but now they're delivered by land rather than on the canals. The market stalls still rest on barges, but they are permanently anchored here. Amsterdam's floating flower market is open all year long so locals and visitors can take advantage of a wide array of colorful plants no matter what the season. Of course, Dutch tulips are the popular item and at Christmas time, the barges are covered with evergreens of all shapes, sizes and hues. Plants imported from various other locales are also brought to the market and made available for sale, so it's not unusual to find tropical and other non-native plants on the barges at any given time.
017- RED LIGHT DISTRICTS /RDL (ROSSEBUURT) - There are in fact three Red Light Districts in Amsterdam- the main area is in the Walletjes area (between Central Station and Nieuwenmarkt) , and the other two in Singel (between Raadhuistraat and Central Station) and de Pijp (behind the Rijksmuseum).The Rokin and Damrak roads run along the original course of the river Amstel. These two roads meet in Dam Square which marks the spot a bridge was built across the river in 1270. It had doors which were used to dam the river at certain times to avoid flooding. The Damrak then became a harbour and it was around this area that the red light district first appeared. The walled canals led to the names De Wallen and Walletjes. The De Wallen, with the prostitution areas of Singelgebied and Ruysdaelkade, form the Rosse Buurt (red light areas) of Amsterdam. De Wallen is the oldest and largest and consists of a network of alleys containing approximately three hundred one-room cabins rented by prostitutes who offer their sexual services from behind a window or glass door, typically illuminated with red lights. It is a typical kind of red light district in Amsterdam and is a large tourist attraction. The photography is prohibited in the direction of the female entertainers. Amsterdam prides itself and rightly so, on its wholly liberal and tolerant attitude, embracing the fact that people may be into prostitution, soft drugs and pornography. So instead of criminalizing everything, this very upfront city wears its. The RLD is actually the safest area in Amsterdam as clusters of policemen and private bodyguards employed by the girls themselves are always on duty. Being one of the oldest areas of the city, De Wallen has architecture and layout that is typical of 14th century Amsterdam although many of the buildings are now more recent. The canal system here was contained within the former walls of the city of which the Waag is a surviving example and is the oldest remaining non-religious building in Amsterdam. The area is also bordered by a small Chinatown. The unofficial policies of tolerance remained for the prostitution to increase in the city which was technically illegal. In 1811 the ban on working girls was lifted. The prostitution became legal in the Netherlands in 1830, new laws introduced in 2000 make it much more clearly in the way business must be legally conducted. Prostitutes have licenses and pay taxes, are monitored by police and health authorities and have access to free or low-cost medical care. This allows the practice to stay open and official, and thus more easily regulated. Regulation was brought in and there were compulsory health checks. They were given a red card which was a permit to work. Legality of prostitution is with the exception of street prostitution, but work permits are not issued for prostitution; therefore legally working in the trade is limited mostly to EU citizens or foreign permanent residents. Since October 2000, window prostitutes have been allowed to legally ply their trade. Today, prostitutes in the Netherlands are also taxpayers. The area also has a number of sex shops, sex theatres, peep shows, a sex museum, a cannabis museum and a number of coffee shops that sell marijuana. Most of the action takes place around 11pm, when the district is swarming with crowds and the red neon lights illuminate the inky canals. The atmosphere pretty much thrives until around 2 or 3am when the crowds die down and businesses shut up shop. There are plenty of live sex shows and the most notorious of these go on at the theatres Casa Rosso (OZ Achterburgwal) and the infamous Moulin Rouge (Oudezijds Achterburgwal 5-7) and Amsterdam Banana Bar (Oudezijds Achterburgwal 37). There are numerous peep shows that may come with video booths. RLD is certainly the major Amsterdam's tourist attraction and there are several tour agencies and independent tour guides offering the guided tours. They can certainly provide you with more information while telling some interesting stories. This Red Light District tour starts at a prostitute information centre, where they will offer you a free drink. A former prostitute will explain the system and you will be able to ask any questions you may have. There you can see, live, the oldest profession in the world. The tour continues through narrow streets, one of them the famous "Zeedijk", this used to be one of the most dangerous streets of Amsterdam, where sailors went looking for amusement. Nowadays, because of the disappearance of the harbour, the shady bars have been replaced by typical cozy Dutch pubs and they're certainly not dangerous any more. During this excursion, they guarantee your safety, you will accompanied by a trustworthy guide. The Amsterdam Sex Museum (Venustempel) lists itself as “the world’s first and oldest sex museum.” Directly translated, it is a temple for Venus, the Roman goddess of Sex love and fertility. Through a collection of erotic paintings, objects, recordings, photographs and attractions, the museum looks at sex throughout the course of human history. With an admission fee of only €4, it’s a decent and inexpensive lesson in history and art.
018-DAM SQUARE-Dam Square was created in the 13th century when a dam was built around the river Amstel to prevent the Zuiderzee Sea from flooding the city, causing damage and endangering the citizens of Amsterdam. Through the centuries, a number of buildings sprung up around the Square, special events were held here and are continued, and street entertainers are a common site. In the 1960s, Dam Square was famous for the "hippie" population that hung out at the location. The most prominent is the Royal Palace (Koninklijk Palace). Built as a city hall for the magistrates of Amsterdam, it was the largest secular building in Europe in the 17th century. Near the palace is the Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, the largest five-star hotel in the Netherlands. It maintains a low-profile but is known in certain circles as the place to stay while in Amsterdam. Established in 1866 by a Polish immigrant, visitors may enjoy taking a meal at one of the hotel's three fine restaurants. At the opposite of the Royal Palace stands a tall, white column adorned with sculptures, known as the National Monument. It was erected in 1956 to honour the victims of World War II. The steps leading to the column are a popular place for people to sit and relax on a sunny day. The Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), adjacent to the palace, was originally built about 1400 and restored to its original grandeur in the mid-1600s after a major fire.
019-REMBRANTDTPLEN (SQUARE) –Rembrandtplein or Rembrandt Square, originally known as the Botermarkt (Butter Market), was established in 1668 and built from the remnants of the old city port. As the name suggests, Rembrandt Square, Amsterdam the first use for this central square was as a dairy market. Central Square of the city named after famous Dutch Painter, statue in the middle of the square in a small park. A popular centre for nightlife, it also includes traditional Dutch pubs which play real Dutch music .The grand café l opera, Café Schiller and Royal Café de Karoon. In summer, the terraces are packed with people enjoying a drink and watching the world go by. Around the area you’ll also find quality night clubs, gay venues, respectable diamond dealers they offers tours of the factory and the inevitable tacky souvenir shops. The Grand Café l'Opera is known for its Art Nouveau façade and Art Deco interior. Café Schiller and the Royal Café de Kroon are popular for their diverse international menus. The Brasserie Schiller (next door to the café) is a lovely 100-year-old Art Nouveau building, decorated with etched-glass panels and stained-glass skylights, serving very traditional Dutch food and certainly worth a visit.
020- JORDAAN-The Jordaan is a district of the city of Amsterdam. The area is bordered by the Lijnbaansgracht canal to the west, the Prinsengracht to the east, the Brouwersgracht to the north and the Leidsegracht to the south. The former canal Rozengracht (now filled in) is the main traffic artery through the neighbourhood. Construction of the Jordaan began in 1612. The streets and canals were built according to the old ditches and paths, which explains its unusual orientation compared to the rest of the city. In the 19th century, six of the Jordaan's canals were filled in, including the Rozengracht. Originally a working-class neighborhood, the Jordaan has become one of the most expensive, upscale locations in the Netherlands .When Amsterdam was expanded in the 17th century, the area known as Jordaan was added to house the city's growing poor, immigrant population. By all accounts, it wasn't a very pleasant place to live. Canals served as both transportation and sewers and there was no running water. Flemish, Spanish, Portuguese, Jews, and French Huguenots all called Jordaan home and the area was seriously overcrowded, with about 80,000 residents crammed into a relatively small area by the year 1900. Visit the Noorderkerk (North Church), the main church in the area, built between 1620 and 1623 at the Noordermarkt, a typical village-square. The church is still an active Protestant congregation and local musician’s present concerts there year-round.
021-LEIDSEPLEIN (SQUARE) – Several centuries ago, the Leidseplein (Leidse Square) looked quite different than it does today. As a matter of fact, in the 17th century, it was sort of a "parking lot" for farmers. The square was where they would leave their carts before entering into the city to conduct their business. Its name came from Leidsepoort (Leidse Gate), which once marked the end of the main road from Amsterdam to Leiden. The Leidseplein or Leidse-square is one of Amsterdam's most popular centres for nightlife. With many restaurants, clubs, coffee shops, cinemas and theatres in the area, the Leidseplein is vibrant and colourful. On warm summer evenings, tourists and locals alike take advantage of the pubs’ outdoor seating for long, lazy drinks with friends. Street musicians, jugglers, fire-eaters and other performers liven up the square, often till the early hours. Café Americain at the American Hotel Amsterdam is known for its Art Deco-style decor and is considered one of the most elegant buildings in Amsterdam.
022-MAGNA PLAZA-Originally built in 1899, Magna Plaza was once Amsterdam’s Post Office building .The large number of pear-shaped crowns that sit at the top of the 60,000 sq. ft. edifice. Inside, the shops at Magna Plaza are situated around the central atrium under the original 19th-century glass dome and a tour of the interior also provides the opportunity to visit one of three mezzanines on the top story, from which you can view the entire plaza. There are about 40 stores and a handful of restaurants, including the 3-story Café Ovidius.
023-VONDEL PARK- The Vondelpark is a public urban park of 120 acres in Amsterdam. It is located in the stadsdeel Amsterdam Oud-Zuid, west from the Leidseplein and the Museumplein, just five minutes’ walk from the Leidseplein and in walking distance from the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum and Van Gogh Museum. The park was opened in 1865 and originally named the "Nieuwe Park", but later renamed to "Vondelpark", after the 17th century author Joost van den Vondel. Yearly, the park has around 10 million visitors. In the park is an open air theatre, a playground and several facilities. Two years after the park opened, in 1867, a statue of writer and playwright Joost van den Vondel was placed in the park. As a result people started to call the park "Vondelspark" .In 1873 a bandstand was built. In the same year, brewer Gerard Adriaan Heineken was denied to open a bar in the park, so he built the Bierhuis Vondel ("Beer House Vondel") in the street next to the park, what is now Vondelstraat 41.In 1936, a rose garden was created in the centre of the park. In the 1960s children's playgrounds were created. During the flower power era in the 1960s/1970s the Vondelpark became a symbol of a place where "everything is possible and (almost) everything is allowed". In the 1980s an open air theatre was built. The Vondelpark received the status of Rijksmonument ("state monument") in 1996.In the 1990s the number of visitors grew to approximately 10 million annually. Other parks as Beatrixpark, Frankendael, Sarphatipark, Amstelpark, Westerpark are quiet, well-maintained community parks. An artificial forest just South of Amsterdam – Amsterdamse Bos is today a big nature reserve, with many attractions.
024- ARTIS ZOO - Artis is a zoo in the centre of Amsterdam. It is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands. In addition to the zoo, Artis has an aquarium, a planetarium, a geological museum and a zoological museum.The zoo is commonly referred to as Artis, because the zoo has three gates with 'Natura –Artis- Magistra' written above them. More often than not only the middle gate was open, so people who walked through that gate saw that 'Artis' was written above it; which made them believe that the zoo was just called Artis. The zoo was founded in 1838. It was initially open only to members. Starting in 1851 it was opened to the public during the month of September. In 1920 it was opened year-round to the public. The Zoo includes many historic buildings. The zoological museum was built in 1855, and the library building in 1867. The Aquarium was built in 1882 on land leased from the city on condition that only a museum ever be built on it. Artis has a beautiful library on the history of zoology and botany. It houses the library of the zoo, as well as the libraries of the Zoological Museum Amsterdam and the Amsterdam Botanical Garden.
025-EFTELING-Efteling is the largest theme park in the Netherlands and one of the oldest theme parks in the world. Efteling is located in the town of Kaatsheuvel, in the municipality of Loon op Zand. Since its opening in 1952, the park has evolved from a nature park to a Fairy Tale Forest and a full-sized theme park. Efteling now caters to both children and adults with its cultural, romantic and nostalgic themes of amusement rides. The park is fantasy-themed; its attractions are based on elements from ancient myths and legends, fairy tales, fables and folklore. Efteling officially opened on May 31, 1952 .Initially, the Fairy Tale Forest was home to some ten different fairy tales, all of them brought to life . The life-size fairy tales, displayed together in an atmospheric forest, proved to be an enormous success. In 1952 alone Efteling welcomed 2, 40,000 visitors. Since 1978, the park has been expanded and grown to become one of the most popular theme parks in the world. The Efteling resort built the theme park, a hotel, a theatre, a golf course, and a holiday village. The Efteling resort comprises several divisions: the theme park (1952), the four-star Efteling Hotel (1992), the 18-hole golf course (1995), Efteling Theatre (2002), and a new holiday park with bungalows (2009). Efteling currently covers approximately 160 acres. The park is divided into four themed areas or 'realms'. North was changed to Reizenrijk (Travel Realm), West became Marerijk (Fairy Realm), East became Ruigrijk (Rough Realm), and South became Anderrijk (Other Realm).Not only the Fairy Tale Forest, but almost the entire Efteling park was built in a rather rural area, with lots of pine trees, giving it a 'nature park' feeling. Together with the large ponds and gardens (with thousands of flowers, and maintained by an army of gardeners), the park's abundant green space is rather unusual among the world's leading theme parks. The Dutch climate and the integral role of natural greenery in the park's appearance and theming have prevented the park from remaining open year-round. Efteling used to be closed all winter (only being open from April through October).In 2010, Efteling announced that it was going to remain open year round. The Efteling welcomed 4,000,000 visitors in 2009, making it the most popular tourist daytrip destination of all categories.
026- PARADISO- It is housed in a converted former church building that dates from the nineteenth century and that was used until 1965 as the meeting hall. It is located on de Weteringschans, bordering the Leidseplein, one of the nightlife and tourism centres of the city. The main concert hall in the former church interior has high ceilings and two balcony rings overlooking the stage area, with three large illuminated church windows above the stage. In addition to the main concert hall, there are two smaller cafe stages, on an upper floor and in the basement. Paradiso was squatted by hippies in 1967 who wanted to convert the church to an entertainment and leisure club. In 1968 the city opened Paradiso as a publicly subsidized youth entertainment centre. Along with the nearby Melkweg (Milky Way), it soon became synonymous with the hippie counterculture and the rock music of that era. It was one of the first locations in which the use and sale of soft drugs was tolerated. Paradiso became increasingly associated with punk and new wave music, although it continued to program a wide variety of artists. Starting in the late 1980s, raves and themed dance parties became frequent.
027-NEMO- Science Centre Nemo is a science centre in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is located at the Oosterdok in Amsterdam-Centrum, situated between the Oosterdokseiland and Kattenburg. The museum has its origins in 1923. It contains five floors of hands-on science exhibitions and is the largest science centre in the Netherlands. It attracts annually over 5, 00,000 visitors, which makes it the fifth most visited museum in the Netherlands. Inside the lobby there is a small cafeteria and a gift shop which sells small scale copies of some of the attractions at Nemo like the giant domino set and the DNA experiments. The main concepts on the first floor are DNA and chain reactions which include a room with giant dominoes with contraptions like a giant bell and a flying car. Also on the first floor is a show on the half-hour, which features a large chain reaction circuit.
028-VAN GOGH MUSEUM- The Van Gogh Museum is an art museum in Amsterdam and dedicated to the works of Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries. It is located at the Museum Square in the borough Amsterdam South, close to the Stedelijk Museum, the Rijksmuseum, and the Concertgebouw. The museum is founded in 1973. The museum's collection is the largest collection of Van Gogh's paintings and drawings in the world. The Van Gogh Museum owns 200 of the 864 surviving paintings by this magnificent artist, best known for his unique style and famous works like Starry Night and Sunflowers. The permanent collection at the van Gogh Museums also includes about 800 letters penned by the artist himself; some written to fellow artists like Paul Gauguin but many written to his brother, Theo. In 2012, the museum had an estimated 14,38,000 visitors, which makes it the most visited museum in the Netherlands and the 30th most visited art museum worldwide . The museum consists of two buildings, the Rietveld building and the Kurokawa wing. The Rietveld building is the main structure of the museum and exhibits the permanent collection. The building has a rectangular floor plan and is four stories high. The Kurokawa wing is used for major temporary exhibitions. The building has an oval floor plan and is three stories high. The entrance to the Kurokawa wing is via an underground tunnel from the Rietveld building.
029- AMSTERDAM ARENA- Amsterdam Arena is a stadium in Amsterdam. It is the largest stadium in the country and it was built from 1993 to 1996 and was officially opened on 14 August 1996. The stadium has a retractable roof combined with a grass surface. It has a capacity of 53,052 seats during football matches and 68,000 places during concerts. It was one of the stadiums used during Euro 2000. Both international and Dutch artists gave concerts in the
Arena, including Celine Dion, Madonna, Michael Jackson, André Hazes, David Bowie and The Rolling Stones. Dance event Sensation is held in the stadium every year. The Amsterdam Arena was officially opened on 14 August 1996 by Queen Beatrix. The Queen opened the Amsterdam Arena by making a curtain fall inside the stadium. This revealed the world's largest painting De Zee (The Sea) of 80 by 126 metres (260 ft × 413 ft).
Arena, including Celine Dion, Madonna, Michael Jackson, André Hazes, David Bowie and The Rolling Stones. Dance event Sensation is held in the stadium every year. The Amsterdam Arena was officially opened on 14 August 1996 by Queen Beatrix. The Queen opened the Amsterdam Arena by making a curtain fall inside the stadium. This revealed the world's largest painting De Zee (The Sea) of 80 by 126 metres (260 ft × 413 ft).
030-DIMOND FACTORY- The Gassan Dimond company sold in 2005 the diamonds and other items worth about a hundred million. The company was founded shortly after the war by the Dutch Jewish diamond merchant Samuel Gassan , in October 1945. Join Gassan Diamonds for the ‘Brilliant Experience’ tour, starting with a guided factory visit allowing your guests to see all the stages of diamond-crafting. Watch diamond cutters at work while the guide explains where diamonds are found and what stages the raw gems go through before being transformed into the most dazzling diamonds. Learn about what determines a diamond’s quality and value, then view loose polished stones in various sizes and qualities in our showroom. And why not treat your group to a touch of sophistication by adding a champagne and diamond surprise to your tour. A dazzling gem is added to each glass of champagne and the Gassan diamond expert checks the stones at the end for a dramatic finish to your visit. One lucky participant will walk away with a real diamond and the rest of the group get to keep a unique cubic zirconia souvenir. It is located at- Gassan Diamonds, Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat 173 – 175,1011 LN Amsterdam. A tour at Gassan Diamonds takes around twenty minutes and is free. Open daily from 9 am to 5 pm.
031-THE HEINEKEN EXPERIENCE -This is one of the MUST SEE attractions of Amsterdam. The Heineken Experience is of course all about Heineken, from the history of the Heineken family, to the full process of beer making and of course trying out some samples. It takes about one and a half hours to get around the whole Experience and includes lots of interactive activities including being brewed like a beer. You start by learning the history of the company, the beer and the brand. From there you move to production where you go station by station learning what makes Hekneken, Heineken. They even let you sample the components at their various stages. Then, you move on to your first tasting. They go over the characteristics of the beer (it's golden, not yellow), the flavor elements, why they leave a head on it, and how to drink it. It is located at-Stadhouderskade 78,1072AE Amsterdam. The place is also located near the Van Gogh Museum. The admission is for 18Euro and for the price, you get three Heineken beers and a bottle opener at the end, making it a pretty good deal. Take advantage of the free ride on the Heineken boat afterwards. If you haven't done a canal tour in Amsterdam then this is your opportunity at a free one. Worth the trip for the free gift.
032-DE BIJENKORF AMSTERDAM- The De Bijenkorf (The Beehive) is the biggest departmental store, centrally located at Dam square in the heart of the city. It is a six level store. The owner of the store dates back from 1870 and now in the present building at Dam square built in 1957. The store contains a restaurant and a coffee bar, art gallery and a hairdresser for the young people. It organizes festivities, concerts, fashion shows, cultural travels and exhibitions. It issues its own credit card and a periodical magazine. The Bijenkorf bears the proud title Koninklijke – Royal. The Royal Bijenkorf, because it’s rich history is inseparably linked with the history of Amsterdam and the Netherlands. De Bijenkorf and its personnel bravely resisted German occupation during the WWII. The store has been burnt two times, remaining opened throughout the war years. As Jewish-owned, De Bijenkorf had to be formally handed over for the time of the Nazi rule in the Netherlands, to the non-Jewish proprietors. De Bijenkorf is the definition of luxury shopping, offering hundreds of major Dutch and international brands. Armani, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Diesel, Fendi, G-Star RAW, Louis Vuitton, Mark Jacobs and Paul Frank a just a few of the designer labels you can expect to find at the Bijenkorf. In addition to clothing, handbags, shoes and accessories, de Bijenkorf is also known for their high-quality housewares, luggage, gifts, electronics, cosmetics and more. On the first floor you’ll find Café B, the perfect spot to relax with a cup of fair trade coffee or light lunch. On the fifth floor, de Bijenkorf Kitchen offers an innovative interpretation of cafeteria-style service. Fresh food is prepared to order, featuring top-quality ingredients and a range of cuisines. It also owns the chain of the good quality low price stores called HEMA in 12 Dutch cities. Once a year, usually at the end of September or in October The Bijenkorf organizes three crazy days of special sales.
033-MAGNA PLAZA- This beautiful two-storey shopping centre is located in a wonderful building that used to be the headquarters of the Amsterdam postal service. It mainly features fashion and shoe shops. It is definitely worth a visit even if just for the building, which is a UNESCO monument. It is located conveniently near the Dam on the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. It is located just behind the Queens Palace on the Dam square in an elegant 19th century building. This is the place to shop for designer clothing and fashion accessories. Just in the middle of the ground floor, a grand piano has been placed. During the weekends or holidays, the live music may welcome you. To the right from the entry you may find the shop with souvenirs from Holland, to the left a kiosk with the Dutch cheese for tourists - baby Gouda, small round red Edam cheese and a choice of wine. The boutiques is on third floors, all major worlds’ fashion brands are represented. However, there are also some more democratic shops as Spanish women’s clothes brand Mango and American casual clothes, America Today and the GSUS jeans shop (all on the ground floor). On the upper floors, you may find more elegant clothes and shoes, two good interior shops, a DVD’s shop with all artsy European titles you might need, Swarovski boutique, several gift shops, a shop with the traditional wooden toys (Pinokkio) and RDLFS (Rudolpho's) - a skater’s shops with clothes, shoes and boards.
001-KEUKENHOF- Tulip seasonal attraction from end of March to end of May. The main bulb growing area is on the sandy soil between Harrlem and Leiden. Keukenhof also known as the Garden of Europe, is the world’s 2nd largest flower garden after Dubai Miracle Graden and located 36kms from Amesterdam. According to the official website for the Keukenhof Park, approximately 70, 00,000 flower bulbs are planted annually in the park, which covers an area of 32 hectares. In 2005 the park was opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet. Keukenhof is located in South Holland in the small town of Lisse .Keukenhof is open annually from mid-March to mid-May. The best time to view the tulips is around mid-April, depending on the weather. Keukenhof is situated on 15th century hunting grounds. It was also a source of herbs for Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut's castle, which is the source of the name Keukenhof. Rich merchants took over the grounds after the Countess's death. The garden was established in 1949 by the then-mayor of Lisse. The idea was to present a flower exhibit where growers from all over the Netherlands and Europe could show off their hybrids and help the Dutch export industry (the Netherlands is the world's largest exporter of flowers).Many dignitaries have visited the Keukenhof. Queen Juliana was a patron. Her daughters, princesses Beatrix, Irene and Margriet were among the first visitors in 1950. Different gardens and garden styles go hand in hand at the Keukenhof. For example, the English landscape garden with winding paths and unexpected see through points. There is a Historical Garden, an enclosed garden where you can see many old types of bulbs. You can visit a nature garden, which consists of a water garden, where shrubs and perennials are combined with bulbous plants. And the Japanese country garden, a playful non-traditional garden in a natural environment. Keukenhof doesn't contain long fields of Tulips. The Garden will display variety of flowers grown in different fashion but all in small arena. However there are Tulip fields outside the Garden (mostly owned by private owners).These fields may have restricted access but they are not part of Keukenhof ticket that visitors need to purchase. Keukenhof is scheduled to be open from 20 March to 18 May 2014. The Flower Parade will be held every year. The flower parade in the world over enormous floats and cars richly decorated with flowers form a flower parade that drives along a 40 kilometer route. This visual feast is visited by hundreds of thousands of people. More than 30 Flower Shows are the important part in the program of Keukenhof. Over 600 growers present their most beautiful flowers and leading arrangers create truly unique shows with them. The flower shows at Keukenhof are a unique floral experience, every day. The striking colours of the flowering tulip bulbs are a typical sight in Holland during the spring. The first bulbs arrived in Holland several centuries ago from Turkey and Iran. They immediately became very popular in Holland and their arrival was the beginning of a prosperous flower industry. Today Holland is the main producer of commercially sold flowers and plants .You can sail around Keukenhof through the bulb fields in the so-called ‘whisper boats’. These boats are driven by electric engines and are environmentally friendly and are almost silent as they sail through the beautiful surrounding Dutch landscape. The boats that are used are perfectly suitable for sailing through the often shallow water. They are, in fact, old boats that used to be used by gardeners, growers and farmers for all types of work .The boat trip lasts 45 minutes and guarantees you nice photographs. Individual Keukenhof Visitors can't reserve a seat by telephone or email. You can buy your boat ticket on the spot (near the windmill in our park). Per tour a limited number of seats are available so make sure to be there in time. Floriade: a world horticultural expo held in a different town every ten years.Mark your agenda, because the next Floriade takes place in Almere in 2022.
002-MADURODAM- Madurodam was named after George Maduro, a Jewish law student from Curaçao who fought the Nazi occupation forces as a member of the Dutch resistance and died at Dachau concentration camp in 1945. In 1946 Maduro was posthumously awarded the medal of Knight 4th-class of the Military Order of William, the highest and oldest military decoration in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, for the valor he had demonstrated in the Battle of the Netherlands against German troops. His parents donated the funds necessary for the Madurodam project. Miniature Park Madurodam is situated just an hour drive from Amsterdam. Madurodam now tells you the stories behind the miniature buildings and about the history of Holland through multimedia. Madurodam is divided into three theme areas: The City Centre, Water World and Innovation Island. In The City you will find the most beautiful buildings of the old cities of Holland. Waterland tells the story of ‘water as friend and foe’ and Innovation Island represents Holland as a source of inspiration for the world. Madurodam is a miniature city. All buildings are built to scale 1:25. Construction of the buildings and maintaining the city is a full time job for 35 people. Every year one or two new buildings are added. Older ones may be taken away. First detailed photos are taken of the original building. Then the construction begins in Madurodam’s own workshop. Originally all buildings were constructed of wood, but these days synthetic materials are used as they are weather-proof. Smaller building take about three months to complete, but larger, more complicated buildings can take as long as three to four years. One of these complicated building is the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Accurately rebuilt, every detail can be seen, including some of the exposition rooms that can be viewed through the roof windows. There are many Amsterdam scenes: canals and canal houses, Dam Square and the Royal Palace, Anne Frank House, Skinny Bridge, Rijksmuseum, Mint Tower. If you have been to Amsterdam you will recognize them all. But it is not only Amsterdam houses you will see, the rest of the Netherlands is also represented. A visit to Madurodam may be the beginning of an exploration of other Dutch cities. Madurodam Rail is one of the big attractions in the city. Twelve different types of trains cover 4 kilometers. Each train covers 16.000 kilometers per year. All trains are hand-made and are replicas of Dutch trains. Every six to ten years part of the track must be renovated, just as it is in the real world. Accidents are rare because Automatic Train Protection system is used. A train stops automatically when the next stretch has not been cleared. The Nederlands Spoorwegen, Dutch Rail, uses the same method. Right at the exit you will find a souvenir shop with typically Dutch products.
003-HOLLAND WIND MILL-They have built wind and watermills to create new land. The oldest mill is a watermill that dates back to the eighth century. These techniques were used to pump out and make dry hundreds of lakes and swamps and to prevent land from flooding. Today, windmills are characteristic of the Dutch landscape and a symbol of the Dutch struggle with water. Kinderdijk is the most famous group of polder mills and is World Heritage listed. This UNESCO site with nineteen mills gives you a great impression of how floods were prevented. Besides being home to this creative form of water management,Kinderdijk is a wonderful, picturesque area. The mills of Schiedam are the five largest windmills in the world. These gigantic windmills, some over 40 meters high, played an important role in the production of jenever (Dutch gin). Instead of reclaiming land, these smock mills (a type of industrial mill) were used grind grain. The visit of Zaanse Schans. Some 250 years ago, well over 600 mills formed the first industrial site in the world. They performed a wide range of industrial duties, such as producing shelves, paint, mustard, oil and paper. Today it’s an open-air conservation area and museum, which attracts thousands of visitors each year. With over a thousand windmills throughout the Netherlands, it’s very likely that you’ll bump into one. Nevertheless, a visit to the windmills at Kinderdijk, Zaanse Schans and the mills of Schiedam is highly recommended. Every year in mid-May, the country celebrates National Windmill Day when windmills throughout the Netherlands are decorated with flowers, figures of angels or Dutch flags, and doors are thrown open to visitors.
ZAANSE SCHANS- Zaanse Schans is a small village on the banks of the Zaan river, complete with tidy green houses, real working windmills, and small topical museums such as the Clock Museum and the first Albert Heijn store. In the 17th and 18th century there were thousands of windmills along the dykes; sawmills, dye mills, oil mills etc. that powered the Dutch economy. The windmills are all working mills, and they perform various functions, including a saw mill, a paint mill (grinding pigments), and oil mill (grinding linseed or peanuts to draw off the oil).Zaanse Schans must be the best day trip out of Amsterdam, it’s touristic, but the windmills are in working order and are fascinating, and there are several other mini-museums in the village, you can see clogs being made, the antique clocks, or buy sweets from the oldest Albert Heijn shop (or rather a replica of the oldest shop). Just to complete the Dutch day out, there’s a pancake restaurant. Visiting the village free of charge, but entering the windmills, museums and other attractions costs a few euro (2.50 for a windmill, 4 euro for the clock museum).
KINDERDIJK - Kinderdijk is a village in the Netherlands, belonging to the municipality of Molenwaard, in the province South Holland, about 15 km east of Rotterdam. Kinderdijk is situated in a polder in the Alblasserwaard at the confluence of the Lek and Noord rivers. To drain the polder, a system of 19 windmills was built around 1740. This group of mills is the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands. The windmills of Kinderdijk are one of the best-known Dutch tourist sites. They have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. It was decided to build a series of windmills, with a limited capacity to bridge water level differences, but just able to pump water into a reservoir at an intermediate level between the soil in the polder and the river; the reservoir could be pumped out into the river by other windmills whenever the river level was low enough; the river level has both seasonal and tidal variations. Although some of the windmills are still used, the main water works are provided by two diesel pumping stations near one of the entrances of the windmills site.
ZAANSE SCHANS- Zaanse Schans is a small village on the banks of the Zaan river, complete with tidy green houses, real working windmills, and small topical museums such as the Clock Museum and the first Albert Heijn store. In the 17th and 18th century there were thousands of windmills along the dykes; sawmills, dye mills, oil mills etc. that powered the Dutch economy. The windmills are all working mills, and they perform various functions, including a saw mill, a paint mill (grinding pigments), and oil mill (grinding linseed or peanuts to draw off the oil).Zaanse Schans must be the best day trip out of Amsterdam, it’s touristic, but the windmills are in working order and are fascinating, and there are several other mini-museums in the village, you can see clogs being made, the antique clocks, or buy sweets from the oldest Albert Heijn shop (or rather a replica of the oldest shop). Just to complete the Dutch day out, there’s a pancake restaurant. Visiting the village free of charge, but entering the windmills, museums and other attractions costs a few euro (2.50 for a windmill, 4 euro for the clock museum).
KINDERDIJK - Kinderdijk is a village in the Netherlands, belonging to the municipality of Molenwaard, in the province South Holland, about 15 km east of Rotterdam. Kinderdijk is situated in a polder in the Alblasserwaard at the confluence of the Lek and Noord rivers. To drain the polder, a system of 19 windmills was built around 1740. This group of mills is the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands. The windmills of Kinderdijk are one of the best-known Dutch tourist sites. They have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. It was decided to build a series of windmills, with a limited capacity to bridge water level differences, but just able to pump water into a reservoir at an intermediate level between the soil in the polder and the river; the reservoir could be pumped out into the river by other windmills whenever the river level was low enough; the river level has both seasonal and tidal variations. Although some of the windmills are still used, the main water works are provided by two diesel pumping stations near one of the entrances of the windmills site.
004 - VOLENDAM-Volendam is a popular tourist attraction in the Netherlands, well known for its old fishing boats and the traditional clothing still worn by some residents. The women's costume of Volendam, with its high, pointed bonnet, is one of the most recognizable of the Dutch traditional costumes and is often featured on tourist postcards and posters. There is a regular ferry connection to Marken, a peninsula close by Volendam also features a small museum about its history and clothing style and visitors can have their pictures taken in traditional Dutch costumes. This town in North Holland, in the municipality of Edam-Volendam. The town has about 22,000 inhabitants. Originally, Volendam was the location of the harbour of the nearby Edam, which was situated at the mouth of the IJ bay. In 1357, the inhabitants of Edam dug a shorter canal to the Zuiderzee with its own separate harbour. This removed the need for the original harbour, which was then dammed and used for land reclamation. Farmers and local fishermen settled there, forming the new community of Vollendam, which literally meant something like 'Filled dam'. In the early part of the 20th century it became something of an artists' retreat, with both Picasso and Renoir spending time here. The majority of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church, which is deeply connected to the village culture. Historically, many missionaries and bishops grew up in Volendam. Today there is the chapel of Our Lady of the Water of the controversial 'visionary' Mrs Hille Kok, which is located in a village park.