Amsterdam information
Amsterdam is the largest City and capital of the Netherlands. There are approximately 750,000 inhabitants and the City has an area of about 219 km². Amsterdam is internationally known and fits into the ranks of cities like Paris, Barcelona and Milan. Amsterdam has one of the largest historic centers of Europe and many other interesting features.For foreigners, the City is known as the City where drugs and prostitution is tolerated, but Amsterdam is much more than that. You can stroll for hours in the City along the canals and enjoy the beautiful buildings, interesting museums, shopping and other interesting and famous sights.
Amsterdam location
Amsterdam is located in the province of North Holland in the Northwest of the country. The river Amstel flows into the center of the City into the canals that Amsterdam is famous for. The IJ river separates the City in two parts. Amsterdam is connected to the North Sea through the Noordzeekanaal. Amsterdam is situated 2 meters above sea level.
Amsterdam weather
Amsterdam has, like the rest of the Netherlands, a temperate climate. This climate type is characterized by mild winters, mild summers and precipitation throughout the year. Below is a list of average minimum and maximum temperatures in Amsterdam per Month.- January: 1 °C - 5 °C
- February: 0 °C – 6 °C
- March: 2 °C – 9 °C
- April: 4 °C – 12 °C
- May: 8 °C – 17 °C
- June: 10 °C – 19 °C
- July: 13 °C – 21 °C
- August: 12 °C – 22 °C
- September: 10 °C – 18 °C
- Oktober: 7 °C – 14 °C
- November: 4 °C – 9 °C
- December: 2 °C – 7 °C
Amsterdam history
The City of Amsterdam was founded around the year 1000. in the 13th century dykes and dams were built against the water from the sea and the IJ. Amsterdam is named after the dam in the Amstel river. Through the years, Amsterdam has grown steadily. When the City took part in the revolt against Spain in 1585 and Antwerp was occupied, many traders from Antwerp came to Amsterdam. They played a key role in the Golden Age. In the 17th century, the City has over 200,000 inhabitants.The Second World War made deep wounds in Amsterdam. During the five years of war more than 110,000 inhabitants found death. The large Jewish community in Amsterdam was decimated, more than 75,000 Amsterdam Jews did not survive. Anne Frank, hid with her family in Amsterdam. After this terrible period the town slowly recovered. Several extensions of the City took place. In the 70s and 80s, the Amsterdam City renewed. Many families and older people moved away from the City and made way for yuppies and double-income households. This gave a positive economic boost to the City. Eventually, the City of Amsterdam became the metropolis as we know it today.
Amsterdam is often called Mokum. The word comes from a Hebrew word meaning town or City. Amsterdam has a rich Jewish history that this word refers back to. It is believed that the Jews gave the name Mokum in Amsterdam as a pet name for themselves and to feel more at home in the City.
Amsterdam tourist attractions
A visit to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam is a must. The Anne Frank house is located on the Prinsengracht. In this house Anne wrote her famous diary. The outhouse has been converted into a museum where you can see exactly how the Frank family and four others lived in hiding during the war.The Royal Palace on Dam Square in Amsterdam is open to the public, if not used by the royal family (happens about 2 times a year, family and ceremonial state occasions). The construction of this impressive building started in 1648 and lasted until 1665. Jacob van Campen designed the palace in the Dutch Classical style. Officially, the building served as the City hall of Amsterdam, but after 1808 it was used as a royal palace. Today there are regular exhibitions and guided tours through the palace.
Amsterdam has many museums. Here we choose to explain two of the most famous museums in Amsterdam. The Rijksmuseum is the largest and most famous museum of Amsterdam and the Netherlands. You can find the greatest masterpieces by Rembrandt (the Night Watch), Vermeer and Hals in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The museum has over 200 rooms. The museum belongs to the Dutch state and aims to show the Dutch history. The museum is located in the center of Amsterdam at the Stadhouderskade.
Apart from Rembrandt, the Netherlands has another well-known painter: Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). Van Gogh is famous not only because he once went berserk and cut off his own ear, but also for his magnificent paintings. A museum dedicated to the artist is not to be missed in Amsterdam. The Van Gogh Museum is located on the Museumplein Paulus Potter Street. You can find beautiful works of the world famous painter. In total there are about 500 drawings, 700 letters, more than 200 paintings and the collection of Japanese prints by Vincent van Gogh.