Difference between revisions of "Amsterdam"
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| − | Amsterdam is | + | Amsterdam is the capital city of The [[Netherlands]],(Holland), although the seat of government is located in The Hague. This anomaly is because Amsterdam is the seat of the Dutch monarchy. Amsterdam is a historic trading centre, established on a 'dam' of artificially raised ground at the mouth of the Amstel river. It achieved huge prosperity on the back of Dutch independence from Spanish rule (achieved during decades of struggle in the 16th and 17th centuries) and the growth of the Dutch mercantile empire during the so-called 'Golden Age'. It has a wealth of cultural treasures, most notably the works of art, including many by Rembrandt, Vermeer, etc in the Rijksmuseeum, and for its charming domestic architecture - long rows of 17th and 18th century houses along the concentric rings of canals that surround the city's heart. A more sombre monument is the Anne Frank House, where the German-Jewish Frank family hid from the German occupation forces during World War II, and made famous by Anne Frank's Diary. Soem visitors are more attracted by the notorious Zeedijk Red Light District where [[prostitution]] is legal, and the "coffee shops" (or "brown cafes") which do not serve coffee but instead [[marijuana]]. |
Revision as of 11:32, April 12, 2007
Amsterdam is the capital city of The Netherlands,(Holland), although the seat of government is located in The Hague. This anomaly is because Amsterdam is the seat of the Dutch monarchy. Amsterdam is a historic trading centre, established on a 'dam' of artificially raised ground at the mouth of the Amstel river. It achieved huge prosperity on the back of Dutch independence from Spanish rule (achieved during decades of struggle in the 16th and 17th centuries) and the growth of the Dutch mercantile empire during the so-called 'Golden Age'. It has a wealth of cultural treasures, most notably the works of art, including many by Rembrandt, Vermeer, etc in the Rijksmuseeum, and for its charming domestic architecture - long rows of 17th and 18th century houses along the concentric rings of canals that surround the city's heart. A more sombre monument is the Anne Frank House, where the German-Jewish Frank family hid from the German occupation forces during World War II, and made famous by Anne Frank's Diary. Soem visitors are more attracted by the notorious Zeedijk Red Light District where prostitution is legal, and the "coffee shops" (or "brown cafes") which do not serve coffee but instead marijuana.
