Introduction
Amsterdam is the largest city in The Netherlands and the country's economic center. It is the official capital of The Netherlands, though The Hague is the home of the government. Tourists come to see Amsterdam's historic attractions and collections of great art. They admire the city's scenic canals, bridges, and stately old houses. Amsterdam is also famous for its atmosphere of freedom and tolerance.
Geography
Amsterdam is situated on the IJ (pronounced “eye”), an inland arm of Lake IJssel. The lake used to be a bay of the North Sea. Now, a 20-mile (32-kilometer) dam separates Lake IJssel from the sea. This has made Amsterdam an inland city. A canal connects the IJ with the North Sea. The Amstel River flows from south to north, dividing the city into two main sections.
Parts of Amsterdam lie below sea level. The land has been reclaimed from the sea or from marshes or lakes. A system of dams, dikes, pumps, and canals keeps the water from rushing in. Canals extend in a cobweb pattern through every part of old Amsterdam. The canals divide Amsterdam into some 90 “islands.” A boat can move easily between parts of the city by using the canals. About 1,000 bridges provide land connections.
Places of interest
The old, central part of Amsterdam has many ancient buildings. Most notable are the Old Church, built in the 13th century, and the New Church, begun in the 15th century. Next to the New Church is the 17th-century city hall, now the Royal Palace. Well-preserved town houses along the canals date back to the 17th and 18th centuries.
The great artist Rembrandt van Rijn lived in Amsterdam in the 17th century. He is buried in the West Church. The Rembrandt House is now a museum. The former Jewish quarter contains the 17th-century Portuguese Synagogue.
Culture
Amsterdam has a rich and thriving cultural life. The city has more than 40 museums. The Rijksmuseum (State Museum) is famous for its collection of 17th-century Dutch masterpieces. The Van Gogh Museum is dedicated to the work of Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh.
The Concertgebouw (Concert Hall) is home to the world-famous Concertgebouw Orchestra. The national ballet and opera companies also perform in the city. Amsterdam has two universities—the University of Amsterdam and the Free University. The city hosted the Olympic Games in 1928. The stadium built for the games is still a world-class sports arena.
Economy
International trade and transport have been the lifeblood of Amsterdam's economy for the last seven centuries. The city's banking and insurance industries have also been important. The major Dutch banks have their headquarters in the city, as do a number of foreign banks. Other major industries include health, cultural, and social services. Business services such as consulting, information and medical technology, and telecommunications have thrived. Tourism accounts for about a tenth of all jobs in Amsterdam.
History
Amsterdam began as a small fishing village in the 13th century. It was originally named Amsteldam, because it was located around a dam built across the Amstel River. By the 15th century Amsterdam was the greatest Dutch commercial town and port.
During religious wars of the 16th century, Jews and Protestants fled from other parts of Europe. They came to Amsterdam in search of freedom.
The 17th century was the city's golden age. Merchants from Amsterdam sailed throughout the world. Spices from the East Indies, in Southeast Asia, brought great wealth. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange was founded in the early 17th century. It is one of the oldest in the world. By the mid-17th century Amsterdam had become the financial, trading, and cultural center of the world.
The city's position declined in the 18th century. In the 1830s Dutch trade in the East Indies was restored, and Amsterdam again grew prosperous. The North Sea Canal was built in 1865–76. It strengthened Amsterdam's port by providing a direct link to the sea.
The Germans invaded Amsterdam in 1940, during World War II. The occupation brought suffering to the entire city and death to most of its Jewish citizens. Among them was Anne Frank, a teenage girl whose famous diary was published after the war. The attic where she and her family hid from the Nazis is preserved as a museum. (See also Holocaust.)
After the war, Amsterdam resumed its position as the leading cultural and industrial center of The Netherlands. Population (1999 estimate), urban area, 1,121,303.
