Amsterdam is a city of contrasts, where the old patriarchal European architecture is combined with a free lifestyle, but without turning into banal unbridledness. The credo of young Europeans who come here perfectly characterizes the mood hovering over the Dutch capital – ” Everything that is not allowed at home is possible in Amsterdam.”
According to ITYPEJOB, the capital was founded by two fishermen on the banks of the Amstel River in 1275. At the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries. the “Golden Age” of Amsterdam is coming, where religious refugees from Europe rushed. During these years, the city became the largest port and one of the largest trading centers in the world. In 1806, the Kingdom of Holland was founded by Napoleon Bonaparte, with Amsterdam as its capital.
Here, first of all, it is worth taking a walk along the city canals, of which there are about 90 in the city. Most of the canals were dug in the 17th century. for the transportation of goods; in addition, they formed a water drainage system. The facades of elegant mansions overlook the canals, for which Amsterdam received the name “Northern Venice”. Various shipping companies offer boat tours of the canals and harbours. Most of the boats depart from the piers of the Central Station. In summer – almost continuously, in winter – every half an hour.
The busiest place in the city is Dam Square, which got its name from the dam built on this site. On the square is the Royal Palace. The building of the palace was built in the 17th century, and initially the city municipality was located here. It became a palace by order of Louis Napoleon in 1808. The interior of this building, personifying a prosperous city, is full of white Italian marble, sculptures and ceiling paintings. It was built on a foundation of 13,659 carefully crafted wooden piles. In the halls you can see imperial-style furniture and paintings by artists of the Rembrandt school. The royal family lives in The Hague and only uses the palace on public holidays. During the summer it is open to the public daily from 12:30 to 16:30. There is a very famous floating flower market near Dam Square. with a whole sea of local and exotic flowers and plants. The market is spread over a row of moored barges.
A visit to the Amsterdam City Hall leaves a unique impression, where you will find yourself up to your neck in water. The water level rises in the glass column in time with the ebb and flow of the tides. At low tide, it falls below the floor mark, and at high tide, it is above the head of the visitor. The guest of the modern town hall would have been washed away twice a day by the waves of the North Sea if the Dutch builders had not protected the city hundreds of years ago with dams. Central station building was built on an artificially created island with 2657 wooden piles at the base. On its facade you can see two dials. The right one is an ordinary clock showing the time, and the left hand indicates the direction of the wind.
The oldest church in Amsterdam is Oude Kerk built in the 14th century. Rembrandt’s wife is buried there. The artist himself is buried in the Wester Kerk church. The 85-meter tower of the church is the tallest in Amsterdam and gives you the opportunity to enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of the city. For some time, Wester Kerk was considered the largest Protestant church, until St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, built in 1710, surpassed it.
Rembrandt’s house is located on Jodenbreestraat, where he lived from 1639 to 1660. Many of the artist’s engravings are stored here. The museums of Amsterdam are of great interest. It will take more than one day to visit the Rijksmuseum . This vast complex exhibits Dutch masterpieces including works by Vermeer, Franz Hals and Rembrandt; collected a large collection of European and Asian art. Open daily from 10.00 to 17.00. Stadhouderskade 42. The Van Gogh Museum presents a permanent exhibition of hundreds of paintings and drawings by the artist. Open daily from 10.00 to 17.30. Paulus Potterstraat 7. On display at the Marijuana and Hashish Museum (Hash-Marijuana-Hemp Museum) presents different types of marijuana, and also tells how to grow this plant. It is open daily from 11.00 to 22.00. The museum is located at Oudezijds Achterburgwal 148 (Red Light District).
Not far from it is the Erotic Museum – one of the most famous museums in Amsterdam. It features erotic art (and devices) from various cultures and historical periods. Persons under 18 are only allowed to enter if accompanied by an adult. Open from Monday to Friday – from 23.00 to 01.00, on weekends – from 11.00 to 02.00. Address – Oudezijds Achterburgwal 54 (Red Light District).
To feel the spirit of the capital of the Netherlands, you need to visit the Woonbootmuseum – a house-boat museum, in which you can see how these unusual dwellings, typical of the Amsterdam canals, are arranged inside. In the period from March to October, the museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 11.00 to 17.00, from November to February – at the same hours from Friday to Sunday. The museum is located on the Prinsengracht, opposite house number 296.
The Artis Zoo was founded in 1838. More than 1,400 species of animals live on its territory. In addition, you can visit a number of interesting establishments at no additional cost. There is an excellent planetarium, geological and zoological museums. The aquarium, built in 1882 and renovated in the late 1990s, features sections of the Amazon River, coral reefs and Amsterdam ‘s own canals, for example. with its population of fish and a pile of wrecked cars, rusty bicycles, and other urban debris.
Amsterdam doesn’t sleep until 4 or 5 am, and the city has a huge selection of bars, clubs and discos. Fans of nightlife and carnal entertainment should definitely visit the Red Light District.
