Amsterdam

History

Amsterdam exists since the thirteenth century. Its name derives from the Dam that was built as a defence structure in the Amstel river. The Dam protected the area from the former Zuiderzee (South Sea). Amsterdam used to be a fishing village, but the city grew rapidly when it was granted toll-free access to all Dutch rivers. It managed to become a large commercial centre.

Trade
The toll-free access made it so much easier to trade goods with Germany and other European countries. In the fifteenth century Amsterdam had already grown into the largest trading centre in The Netherlands. At that time two of the most profitable export goods were herring and beer. Profit was also made by storing, processing and selling on other European goods, such as salt and iron ore.
For a long time, the trading vessels could reach the Dam square by entering the city across the IJ river. But when more people moved to the city it was necessary to expand. A part of the river was closed, which made it possible to build new housing.

Amsterdam faced competition with the city of Antwerp for a long time. But in 1589 Spanish troops occupied Antwerp and many of its inhabitants fled to Amsterdam. They brought with them knowledge and skills, especially with luxury goods such as diamond and gold. Trade profits increased and Amsterdam could regain its position as one of the largest commercial centres in the world.
Numerous shipyards and commercial companies were set up in Amsterdam, which grew into the largest distribution centre for the whole of Europe. When the Dutch set up the V.O.C. (the Dutch East India Company) some new trade routes were opened up to Southeast Asia. This turned out to be very profitable.

Golden Age
The seventeenth century is better known as the Golden Age. The economic success and prosperity led to cultural and architectural heights. During this period artists, such as Rembrandt, created their best known and appreciated paintings and one can still admire the fine architecture of that time.

There was a slight downfall in the eighteenth century, when trade declined, but Amsterdam managed to remain the financial market of Europe.

Industrialisation
The Netherlands have been an agriculturally based community for centuries. But at the end of the nineteenth century it changed into an industrialised society. The production of steel thrived and prosperity slowly returned to the Dutch capital. The city began to modernise the production of luxury goods, such as cut diamonds, chocolates, cigars and beer. Architecture, with buildings such as the Rijksmuseum, attributed to the international standing of Amsterdam. In 1928 the city even managed to host the Olympics.

Difficult times
During WW1 the Netherlands remained neutral, but it still faced an economical downfall in the 1930s. This led to high unemployment rates.
In the 1940s the country was invaded by Germany. This occupation lasted for five years, which left a mark on Amsterdam. A little Jewish girl, Anne Frank, wrote about her life in hiding. Her diary is a long-lasting memory of a difficult period in Dutch history.

Comeback
After these hard times, the Dutch managed to regain their spirit and restored the country in the 1950s.
In the 1960s Amsterdam attracted many foreign hippies. They were drawn to the city, because of the tolerant attitude towards soft drugs. The drugs policy of Amsterdam was later adopted in other parts of the Netherlands.

Dutch infrastructure needed to expand, because of the economical growth. In the 1970s and 1980s Amsterdam opened the IJ-tunnel as well as the first underground network. Schiphol Airport rapidly grew out into one of the biggest airports of the world.

Modern times
In the 1990s Amsterdam focused on renovating old buildings and improving the overall standard of living. Some new districts were added, so more people could move into the city.
A controversial move was made quite recently, when the city closed off another part of the IJ river to build new houses. This area, the so called Java-eiland (isle) is a display for modern architecture.
In the 21st century Amsterdam still remains a lively place, with a bustling nightlife. Millions of visitors visit the Dutch capital every year and Amsterdam is still known for its nightlife and the many concerts, festivals and events that are held here. The atmosphere and historical monuments still attract many tourists.