General Information

Amsterdam was originally established as a fishing village at the mouth of the Amstel River during the 13th century. In 1579 Amsterdam along with seven other provinces was declared an independent republic that was led by William of Orange, the forefather of today’s royal family. Soon after throughout the 17th century Amsterdam flourished in what was known as the ’Golden Age’. Many have no doubt heard of the extraordinary mania for tulips in Holland in the 17th century. Dutchmen of all classes, highest to lowest, abandoned their ordinary occupations and business in exchange to engage in the roaring tulip trade. Enormous prices were paid, even houses and land were bartered for one single bulb.

During the 18th century money gradually overtook trade as the city’s biggest industry. Amsterdam’s trade and fishing came to a complete halt in the early 19th century when the city was occupied by the French and then blockaded by the British. By the time the French trooped out in 1814, Amsterdam had become a local market town and Britain ruled the seas. Amsterdam turned its back on the sea and restyled itself as an industrial centre: rail links were established, steel production thrived and the population expanded.

In the early 1960s, people began to question the status quo and Amsterdam became the radical heart of Europe. The Provos kicked it all off, with a series of anarchic street protests, while students and women campaigned for more rights and hippies started arriving in the ’Magic Centre’ of Europe. By the early 1980s, agreements were made for the progressive planning and social policies you may see today such as a tolerant approach to drugs, building of affordable housing and legal recognition of gay and lesbian couples.

Amsterdam’s canals were laid out in concentric rings as the city grew. The medieval city around Central Station is the hub, and several main roads, minor canals and the Amstel River function as spokes. Dam Square, five minutes’ walk south of the station, is the centre of town, but there are several other centres within Amsterdam: Leidseplein, with much of the city’s cultural life and night-life, Rembrandtplein (night-life), Spui (’intellectual’ life) and Museumplein (culture) are just some of the focal points that make the city a joy to explore on foot or by bicycle. Principle language is Dutch, most people you will find speak also English or German.

Amsterdam is a cultural center with a diverse range of events all year round. The city plays host to several world famous museums including the Van Gogh, the Rijksmuseum containing the National Art Collection, and the Stedelijk museum of modern art.