Amsterdam

Amsterdam (Netherlands) – detailed information about the city with a photo. The main attractions of Amsterdam with a description, guides and maps.

City Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the north of the country at the confluence of the Ammstel and Hey rivers North Sea. The name of the city can be literally translated as “dam, dam on the Amstel River”. Amsterdam is the pearl of the North Europe, “Venice of the North”, a city of amazing architecture, hundreds canal and thousands of bridges. He fascinates and falls in love with the first gaze, this place is truly free morals with a cozy the atmosphere of an old European city. In Amsterdam, everyone will find something of their own: from hiking in museums and watching attractions to delicious local restaurants and noisy parties

Amsterdam is located in the northwestern part of Holland. almost on the shores of the North Sea. The city is riddled with hundreds channels that divide the center into 90 islands that connect more than 1500 bridges and viaducts. Amsterdam lies in the lowlands. The average height above sea level is 1 m. Climate moderate sea. The weather is largely determined by the proximity of the Northern seas. Often in the autumn and winter time can penetrate northwest winds. Winter is generally quite mild with small frosts. Although sometimes with the invasion of the cold northeastern masses frosts can be quite strong, and the famous channels freeze to such a state that you can walk and ride on them on skates. But because of climate change, it happens less and less. Summer in Amsterdam is warm, but not hot. For the year falls over 800 mm of precipitation.

Bridges and canals Amsterdam

Amsterdam districts

Amsterdam districts

Amsterdam is divided into the following areas:

• The old center is a medieval city and the most visited area Amsterdam Famous for its architecture in traditional Dutch style, numerous canals, bridges, shops and restaurants. The famous “Red Light District” enters the old center.
• The Circular Canal is a district that emerged in the 17th century with many luxury mansions and nightclubs. Listed in the list of objects UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Jordan – once a working district, which now found shelter intellectuals are located all sorts of art workshops and galleries, shops and restaurants.
• Plantazh – a quiet pleasant area with many museums and 19th century architecture.
• The South is one of the best areas for accommodation, as well as shopping and trips to restaurants.
• The north is the traditional Dutch countryside, in fact residential suburb.
• The West is a huge area, which can be divided into Old and New. The old district originated in the late 19th century. New was built after World War II and often featured in newspapers as a place not the most positive news.
• East is a large and diverse residential area with a predominantly modern architecture.
• Beilmer is a residential area where more than 150 nationalities live. It is notorious for robbery and theft.
• Amstelveen is a green suburb where a large shopping center is located. center, the base of sports clubs.

Amsterdam

1. Practical information
2. Story
3. How to get there
4. sights
5. Video
6. Maps and guides
7. Comments and reviews

Practical information

1. The population is 853.3 thousand people.
2. The area is 219.4 square meters. km
3. Language – Dutch (Dutch). Although more than 50% of the population speak English well.
4. Currency – Euro.
5. Time – Central European UTC + 1, in summer +2.
6. Visa – Schengen.
7. Do not take pictures of girls in the Red Light District. On you can not only scream, but also break the phone.
8. Amsterdam is one of the safest cities in the world. But still basic safety rules must be followed, do not leave things unattended, control valuable things in crowded places.
9. The main shopping streets go from the central station towards Leidseplein: Nieuwendijk, Kalverstraat, Heiligeweg, Leidsestraat. Many stores are concentrated in the Haarlemmerstraat / Haarlemmerdijk, Utrechtsestraat, Spiegelstraat (art / antiques). You can buy Chinese goods in Nieuwmarkt.
10. The largest street market Albert Cuyp is open from Monday to Saturday from 9.00 to 17.00
11. In Amsterdam, you can find many restaurants and cafes. Budget establishments are located in the Jordan district. In the Nieuwmarkt area There are many cheap Asian restaurants. Large the number of cheap institutions of Asian and Oriental cuisine can be found in the Damstraat area. Not bad
12. Amsterdam is famous for its traditional local dishes. First it’s all: cheese, raw meat sausage, beer, traditional herring, fried meatballs with potatoes.
13. Most bars and nightclubs are concentrated Leidseplei and Rembrandtplein.

Winter Amsterdam

Major cultural events and festivals

• January – Amsterdam Fashion Week and Art fair.
• April (27th) is the national holiday of the King’s Day, when Amsterdam turns orange.
• May – food festival and famous festival tulips.
• June is a Dutch festival.
• July and August – the international festival of contemporary dance, music festivals, the parade of Martin Luther King and Gay Parade.
• September – street festival in Jordan and the festival of modern art.
• October is an electronic music festival.
• December – Amsterdam Light Festival, when the streets and the canals are decorated with lights.

Panorama of the city

Story

Amsterdam was founded in the 13th century as a small fishing village near dam on the river Amstel. In 1342, the settlement received urban the rights. By the 15th century, Amsterdam had become one of the most important and largest trading cities of the Netherlands and entered the Hanseatic union

Amsterdam channels

In the 15th century the city began to expand, ring canals were dug out. for defense and water management. Houses were built on the foundation of long wooden pillars. Wood use made the city vulnerable to urban fires, even though many channels. In the middle of the 15th century, a fire destroyed more half of Amsterdam.

Snow in Amsterdam

At the end of the 16th century due to the seizure of the main Dutch port Antwerp Spaniards population of the city increased significantly. K 17 century Amsterdam has become one of the largest cities in Europe along with London, Paris and Naples. After this city growth almost stopped, and in the 18th century the population in general decreased

Channels Amsterdam

With the advent of the industrial revolution, a new stage of growth began. cities. By 1900, the population of Amsterdam reached half a million. In World War II Amsterdam did not suffer much. AT Mostly, bombing damaged its northern areas.

How to get there

Amsterdam Airport is located 15 km south-west. is he It is one of the largest air ports in the world serving about 60 million passengers. Every 10 minutes from the airport to the city from 5.00 to 1.00 go train. The ride takes 20 minutes and costs 4.2 Euro. Some budget companies fly to the airports of Rotterdam and Eindhoven. From there you can get to Amsterdam by bus.

Convenient to get to the capital of the Netherlands by train. Most trains go to the central station, which is close to historical center. High-speed lines link Amsterdam with Atverpen, Paris, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Frankfurt and Berlin.

Economy buses FlixBus connect Amsterdam with cities Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg.

Winter in Amsterdam

Amsterdam has excellent accessibility for cars. The A1 motorway leads straight from Germany, the A2 from Belgium and Utrecht, A4 – from The Hague.

Movement around the city

The center of Amsterdam is quite compact. Get to the main attractions on foot is not difficult. Public The city’s transport is represented by 16 tram lines and four branches. underground. For travel by public transport special card – OV-chipkaart. These cards can be personal (nominal), anonymous and disposable. For tourists the most advantageous one-time card for 1/24/48/72/96/120/144/168 hours. It is allows the owner to make an unlimited number of trips and transfers in the tram, metro and bus throughout its life actions. On the tram you can also buy tickets for 1 and 24 hours.

sights

Amsterdam – a city with 800 years of history, rich in interesting attractions and monuments of history and culture: from ancient churches to magnificent museums, from narrow cobbled streets and famous canals to cozy old courtyards.

Churches

De groote Kerk

De Grote Kerk or St. Bavokerk – the largest church in Haarlem (actually a suburb of Amsterdam). This gothic building was founded at the beginning of the 15th century and is an architectural dominant Square Grote Markt.

Basilica of sv. Nikolay

Basilica of sv. Nicholas – Roman Catholic Church, one of largest and most beautiful religious buildings of the capital The Netherlands. The church was built in the late 19th century.

Grote Kerk

Grote Kerk or Big Church – the largest religious construction of the suburban town of Edam. The exact date of the construction of this brick building is not exactly known. But probably the church was founded at the beginning of the 15th century.

Buiksloterkerk

Buiksloterkerk – a charming brick church of the early 17 century, located among the picturesque housesBuiksloterdijk.

North church (noorderkerk)

North Church (Noorderkerk) – a beautiful church of the 16th century, located in the center of Amsterdam in a charming location District Jordan. Is protestant.

Obrechtkerk

Obrechtkerk is located in the heart of South Amsterdam and has unusual architecture. Interestingly, the full name churchesOnze Lieve Vrouw van de Allerheiligste Rozenkrans.

Posthoornkerk

The posthoornkerk is a brick basil in the shape of a cross built in 1863 by the famous Amsterdam architect Cuipers. Located in the center of Amsterdam, near the Anne Frank House and North Church. Currently not religious an institution.

Western church (Westerkerk)

West Church (Westerkerk) – one of the largest Protestant churches of the Netherlands located in the historic center of the city in a few steps from the house of Anne Frank. This is one of the most beautiful Amsterdam’s religious buildings, built in the 17th century. Here buried rembrandt and other famous dutch artists.

South Church (Zuiderkerk)

South Church (Zuiderkerk) – First Protestant Church Amsterdam, built in the first half of the 17th century. Since 1929 not used for religious needs.

Oude Kerk

Oude Kerk or Old Church – the oldest religious building The capital of the Netherlands, built in the 14th century in the Gothic style. Although after numerous reconstructions, traces of renaissance and early baroque.

East church (Oosterkerk)

Eastern Church (Oosterkerk) – Protestant church of the 17th century. Currently not a religious institution.

Amstelkerk

Amstelkerk is a 17th century wooden church located on one of the most charming Amsterdam squares.

Windmill s

One of the symbols of Holland is windmills, which can be found in the suburbs of Amsterdam. They are huge in the area quantity, therefore only the most interesting and authentic ones.

Molen deAdriaan

Molen de Adriaan or Hadrian’s Mill is located in a suburban The town of Haarlem, near its historic center. This a picturesque windmill tower is located on the banks of the river Spaarn and for several centuries adorns the urban landscape. Her Address: Papentorenvest 1A, 2011 AV HAARLEM.

Molen HetJonge Schaap

Molen Het Jonge Schaap is translated from the Dutch as “young sheep”. This is a copy of a windmill from the end of the 17th century. Address: Schaap, Kalverringdijk 31a, 1509 BT ZAANDAM.

Molen deZoeker

Molen de Zoeker – a unique, still working industrial mill for grinding oily seeds. It was built in 1676. Address: Kalverringdijk31,1509 BTZAANDAM.

Windmills Mills in Zaanse Schans

Windmills in Zaanse Schans – an open-air museum with collection of historic windmills. Open from April to October. There is also a souvenir shop and a cheese farm. Address: Schansend7,1509 AWZAANDAM.

d’AdmiraalWindmill

d’Admiraal Windmill – charming octagonal windmill Mill of the late 18th century. Is the last preserved chalk Mill in the Netherlands. Address: Noordhollandschkanaaldk21,1034 ZLAmsterdam.

Other sights and cultural monuments

Anna’s House Franc

Anne Frank House – House on Prinsengracht, in which Jewish Frank Anna Frank, the author famous diary and one of the most famous victims of fascism. AT In 1944, as a result of a denunciation, Anna and her family were discovered and sent to a concentration camp in which she died.

Coin tower

Monetary Tower – was built in the 14-15 centuries and was once part of the city gates and medieval fortifications. In the 17th century used for mint. Now on the tower a carillon is set of 38 bells that sound each hour.

Trompettersteeg

Trompettersteeg is the narrowest street of Amsterdam, located in the center of the red light district. Its width is only 100 cm.

Scheepvaarthuis or shipping house

Scheepvaarthuis or shipping house – Amsterdam style masterpiece School “. Built in the 20s of the 20th century by the architect Van der Meem. Now here is an expensive hotel.

Weight chamber or de waag

The Weight Chamber or De Waag is a remarkable monument of architecture, located in the lower market. Originally a city gate 15 century in 1600 were transformed into a weight house.

Central railway station

Central Station – one of the most impressive buildings Amsterdam Built according to the project of the Cuipers.

Place of interest of Amsterdam

Spiegelkwartier

Spiegelkwartier – the world of art and antiques. Right here You can buy works of art and all sorts of rarities.

Quarter red light district

The Red Light District is one of the most famous places Amsterdam The largest and most famous is the quarter De Wallen This is a network of lanes that contain many rooms and display cases usually lit with red light and providing sex services. These places are among the most visited in the capital of Holland. Warning: girls are better not to take pictures. De Wallen is one of the oldest districts of Amsterdam. is he appeared in the 14-15th century.

In Amsterdam, you can find many charming old houses. Here are the most interesting ones …

Old wooden house on Zeedijk 1

Despite the fact that Amsterdam is famous for its brick architecture, it was not always. In the 15th century the city was wooden. Wooden houses were destroyed during fires. Before only two wooden houses have survived today: the Begijnhof 34 and Zeedijk 1.

Oldest house in Amsterdam – Begijnhof 34

The house at Begijnhof, 34 is the oldest in the city. He was built in 1425.

The narrowest House – Singel 7

Probably many fascinate old Amsterdam houses with narrow façade, which are crowded at the canals. It turns out earlier taxes in the city was taken for the width of the facade. Therefore, Amsterdam and built such funny buildings. The narrowest house is located at Singel, 7. Its width is only 1 meter. But honestly, he looks more like an extension between the two buildings.

House by Oude Hoogstraat 22 has a facade width of just over 2 meters

Another “record holder” building on the Oude Hoogstraat 22. Has facade width 2.02 meters and more like a real one house.

Bridges

Amsterdam is not only a city of canals, but also a city of bridges. And not surprising, because this labyrinth of waterways has to be somehow related. It is estimated that there are over 1000 in the capital of the Netherlands bridges.

Skinny bridge or Magere Brug

Skinny Bridge or Magere Brug – one of the most beautiful bridges Amsterdam built on the place of the old narrow wooden bridge in the second half of the 18th century. In the evenings, turn on beautiful backlight. That is why it is so popular with photographers and par.

Bridge Torensluis

Torensluis – was built in 1648 and is the oldest of preserved in the original condition of the bridges of Amsterdam. It was once part of a moat and a prison. That is why he is The widest of Amsterdam bridges.

Python bridge

Python is one of the most unusual bridges in the city; snakes.

Nescio bridge

The Nescio Bridge is the first suspension bridge in Holland and one of the most long structures of this type in the country.

Beautiful places for a photo

Amsterdam is an extremely photogenic city, but there are places which are especially impressive and allow you to get cool frames.

Blauwbrug,Amstel Square Rembrandt – Rembrandtplein Brouwersgrachtin the historical center Picturesque ZevenlandenhuizenCharming Damrak, located towards the central train station to Dam square

Video

Maps and guides

Amsterdam Tram Routes Historic Center Map underground

Amsterdam on the map of the Netherlands