Its purpose is to house temporary exhibitions of the museum. AFAS Live (formerly known as the Heineken Music Hall) is a concert hall located near the Johan Cruyff Arena (known as the Amsterdam Arena until 2018). Amsterdam was intended in 1932 to be the hub, a kind of Kilometre Zero, of the highway system of the Netherlands,[229] with freeways numbered One to Eight planned to originate from the city. [102][103][104] Ethnic Dutch (as defined by the Dutch census) now make up a minority of the total population, although by far the largest one. Jewish people from Spain, Portugal and Eastern Europe similarly settled in Amsterdam, as did Germans and Scandinavians. [114] Calvinism was declared the main religion;[113] although Catholicism was not forbidden and priests allowed to serve, the Catholic hierarchy was prohibited. Among these trains are international trains of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Amsterdam-Berlin), the Eurostar (Amsterdam-Brussels-London), Thalys (Amsterdam-Brussels-Paris/Lille), and Intercity-Express (AmsterdamCologneFrankfurt).[235][236][237]. Capital of The Netherlands, located in the west-central region of the country. Several parts of the city and the surrounding urban area are polders. It has regular steamboat communication with Zwolle, Deventer, Amsterdam, and Enkhuizen. [70] The surrounding land is flat as it is formed of large polders. The next largest religion was Islam (7.1%), most of whose followers were Sunni. [142], Amsterdam experienced an influx of religions and cultures after the Second World War. This is reflected in the architecture of that period. [55] Many trees in Amsterdam were cut down for fuel, and wood was taken from the houses, apartments and other buildings of deported Jews. This part of the coat of arms is the basis of the flag of Amsterdam, flown by the city government, but also as civil ensign for ships registered in Amsterdam. [234] Five are intercity stops: Sloterdijk, Zuid, Amstel, Bijlmer ArenA and Amsterdam Centraal. The wars of the Dutch Republic with England and France took their toll on the city. Amsterdam has a rich architectural history. The leading architects of this style in Amsterdam were Jacob van Campen, Philips Vingboons and Daniel Stalpaert.[166]. A new theatre has also moved into the Amsterdam scene in 2014, joining other established venues: Theater Amsterdam is located in the west part of Amsterdam, on the Danzigerkade. [18] The city is also well known for its nightlife and festival activity; with several of its nightclubs (Melkweg, Paradiso) among the world's most famous. [219] Next to the Mayor, the municipal executive board consists of eight wethouders ('alderpersons') appointed by the municipal council: four D66 alderpersons, two VVD alderpersons and two SP alderpersons.[220]. Some nine hundred concerts and other events per year take place in the Concertgebouw, for a public of over 700,000, making it one of the most-visited concert halls in the world. The town-hall, built in 1881, contains several stainedglass windows, two of which were the gift of citizens of Amsterdam and Hamburg, in gratitude for services rendered by the islanders to fishermen and seamen of those ports. Pop: 737000 (2003 est), Undermyfork scores $400K seed for its diabetes tracking app and US launch, Is Economic Growth the Wrong Goal? Jews from the Iberian Peninsula, Huguenots from France, prosperous merchants and printers from Flanders, and economic and religious refugees from the Spanish-controlled parts of the Low Countries found safety in Amsterdam. The room occupation rate was 85% in 2017, up from 78% in 2006. [211] The annual Uitmarkt is a three-day cultural event at the start of the cultural season in late August. [34] Amestelle was located along a side arm of the IJ. The mayor is a member of the municipal executive board, but also has individual responsibilities in maintaining public order. But she did not succeed in finding a suitable studio, neither an instructor who pleased her, and she returned to Amsterdam. The origins of Amsterdam is linked to the development of the peatland called Amestelle, meaning 'watery area', from Aa(m) 'river' + stelle 'site at a shoreline', 'river bank'. The square itself is the most prominent site in Amsterdam for festivals and outdoor concerts, especially in the summer. Fashion photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin were born in Amsterdam. However, the later establishment of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815 marked a turning point. Amsterdam has an oceanic climate (Kppen Cfb)[74] strongly influenced by its proximity to the North Sea to the west, with prevailing westerly winds. Days with more than 1mm (0.04in) of precipitation are common, on average 133 days per year. Some, commonly referred by the moniker 'Walloon', are recognizable today as they offer occasional services in French. To the south of De Wallen is the old Jewish quarter of Waterlooplein. Cycling is key to the city's character, and there are numerous biking paths and lanes spread throughout the entire city. Capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, Capital city and municipality in North Holland, Netherlands, View of the city centre looking southwest from the Oosterdokskade, Capitals of European states and territories, After Athens in 1888 and Florence in 1986, Amsterdam was in 1986 chosen as the. The A3 to Rotterdam was cancelled in 1970 in order to conserve the Groene Hart. In 2012, the music video of Far East Movement, 'Live My Life', was filmed in various parts of Amsterdam. [222] The conurbation had a population of 1,096,042 in 2013. Fourteen of those had their own district council (deelraad), elected by a popular vote. (place) Constitutional capital of the Netherlands: seaport on an inlet of the IJsselmeer & a ship canal to the North Sea. Amsterdam is home to the second-largest Dutch commercial TV group SBS Broadcasting Group, consisting of TV-stations SBS 6, Net 5 and Veronica. Yes! [205] A 2011 poll by Amsterdam newspaper Het Parool that Trio Bier's "Oude Wolf" was voted "Amsterdams lijflied". [17] In the 19th and 20th centuries, the city expanded and many new neighborhoods and suburbs were planned and built. It consists of a network of canals, streets, and alleys containing several hundred small, one-room apartments rented by sex workers who offer their services from behind a window or glass door, typically illuminated with red lights. This led to riots, and as a result the original plans for large-scale reconstruction were abandoned by the government. [59], In the 21st century, the Amsterdam city centre has attracted large numbers of tourists: between 2012 and 2015, the annual number of visitors rose from 10 to 17million. Jazz has a strong following in Amsterdam, with the Bimhuis being the premier venue. In 2014, the Port of Amsterdam had a cargo throughput of 97,4million tons of cargo, which was mostly bulk cargo. We have a challenge that will make you blush: do you know the many words and ways to describe the opposite of red? The AmsterdamRhine Canal was dug to give Amsterdam a direct connection to the Rhine, and the North Sea Canal was dug to give the port a shorter connection to the North Sea. Amsterdam has the biggest cruise port in the Netherlands with more than 150 cruise ships every year. to the Twentieth Century A.D. It handles over 68million passengers per year and is the home base of four airlines, KLM, Transavia, Martinair and Arkefly. [131][132], In 1924, the Catholic Church hosted the International Eucharistic Congress in Amsterdam;[133] numerous Catholic prelates visited the city, where festivities were held in churches and stadiums. Schools for foreign nationals in Amsterdam include the Amsterdam International Community School, British School of Amsterdam, Albert Einstein International School Amsterdam, Lyce Vincent van Gogh La Haye-Amsterdam primary campus (French school), International School of Amsterdam, and the Japanese School of Amsterdam. The 17th century is considered Amsterdam's Golden Age, during which it became the wealthiest city in the western world. Also perhaps in part from or reinforced by Old English verb fordemman "to stop up, block. The revolt escalated into the Eighty Years' War, which ultimately led to Dutch independence. Contemporary popular artists are Youp van 't Hek, Freek de Jonge, Herman Finkers, Hans Teeuwen, Theo Maassen, Herman van Veen, Najib Amhali, Raoul Heertje, Jrgen Raymann, Brigitte Kaandorp and Comedytrain. The Dutch National Opera and Ballet (formerly known as Het Muziektheater), dating from 1986, is the principal opera house and home to Dutch National Opera and Dutch National Ballet. Outposts budded in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Geneva, and various other burgs, including, yes, Amsterdam. The largest area by population, the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (Dutch: Metropoolregio Amsterdam), has a population of 2,33million. Ushakov is in Amsterdam, co-founder Eugene Molodkin is in St. [137], Historically, Amsterdam has been predominantly Christian, in 1900 Christians formed the largest religious group in the city (70% of the population), Dutch Reformed Church formed 45% of the city population, while the Catholic Church formed 25% of the city population. The river Amstel ends in the city centre and connects to a large number of canals that eventually terminate in the IJ. [111] The large community of Ghanaian immigrants have established African churches,[141] often in parking garages in the Bijlmer area. In 1639, the first synagogue was consecrated. A substantial number of large corporations and banks' headquarters are located in the Amsterdam area, including: AkzoNobel, Heineken International, ING Group, ABN AMRO, TomTom, Delta Lloyd Group, Booking.com and Philips. The typical Bruine Kroeg (brown caf) breathe a more old fashioned atmosphere with dimmed lights, candles, and somewhat older clientele. [41] From the 14th century on, Amsterdam flourished, largely from trade with the Hanseatic League. In 2019, the new lock in IJmuiden opened; since then, the port has been able to grow to 125million tonnes in capacity. QUIZ YOURSELF ON OPPOSITES OF RED BEFORE YOU TURN SCARLET. [93] Amsterdam's population hit an all-time high of 872,000 in 1959,[94] before declining in the following decades due to government-sponsored suburbanisation to so-called groeikernen (growth centres) such as Purmerend and Almere. The oldest area of the town is known as De Wallen (English: "The Quays"). In the 1970s and 1980s, many 'old' Amsterdammers moved to 'new' cities like Almere and Purmerend, prompted by the third planological bill of the Dutch Government. In the early years of the 17th century, Maximilian's crown in Amsterdam's coat of arms was again replaced, this time with the crown of Emperor Rudolph II, a crown that became the Imperial Crown of Austria. Due to its geographical location in what used to be wet peatland, the founding of Amsterdam is of a younger age than the founding of other urban centers in the Low Countries. [121], As they became established in the city, other Christian denominations used converted Catholic chapels to conduct their own services. Each year in October, the city hosts the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) which is one of the leading electronic music conferences and one of the biggest club festivals for electronic music in the world, attracting over 350,000 visitors each year. This neighbourhood has become a famous attraction for tourists. The Dam on the River Amstel) is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands; with a population of 907,976[11] within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban area[6] and 2,480,394 in the metropolitan area. Four fare-free GVB ferries carry pedestrians and cyclists across the IJ lake to the borough of Amsterdam-Noord, and two fare-charging ferries run east and west along the harbour. Which of the following colors is used to symbolize AIR? Over time, a total of 15 boroughs were created. The Singelgracht should not be confused with the oldest and innermost canal, the Singel. During this period, many buildings were constructed in the architectural style of the Renaissance. [129], Catholic churches in Amsterdam have been constructed since the restoration of the episcopal hierarchy in 1853. Amsterdam has a world-class symphony orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Primarily known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses with gabled faades; well-preserved legacies of the city's 17th-century Golden Age. [195], The most important museums of Amsterdam are located on the Museumplein (Museum Square), located at the southwestern side of the Rijksmuseum. Charles Caspers & Peter Jan Margry (2017), This page was last edited on 26 July 2022, at 08:30. reflects the geography of Holland. [108], In 1578, the largely Catholic city of Amsterdam joined the revolt against Spanish rule,[112] late in comparison to other major northern Dutch cities. [176] It is near Dam Square in the city centre. [207] Another popular dance festival is 5daysoff, which takes place in the venues Paradiso and Melkweg. The wealth which was collected within five miles of the Stadthouse of Amsterdam would purchase the fee simple of Scotland. From the station there are regular services to destinations such as Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. [100] Amsterdam's population failed to beat the expectations of 873,000 in 2019. [115] A large influx of foreigners of many religions came to 17th-century Amsterdam, in particular Sefardic Jews from Spain and Portugal,[116][117] Huguenots from France,[118] Lutherans, Mennonites, as well as Protestants from across the Netherlands. A few of Amsterdam's notable residents throughout its history include: painters Rembrandt and Van Gogh, the diarist Anne Frank, and philosopher Baruch Spinoza. Amsterdam is the financial and business capital of the Netherlands. Sign up to make the most of YourDictionary. [188][189] In the 18th century, French theatre became popular. The constitutional capital and largest city of the Netherlands, in the western part of the country. Royal Theatre Carr was built as a permanent circus theatre in 1887 and is currently mainly used for musicals, cabaret performances, and pop concerts. There are three field hockey teams: Amsterdam, Pinok and Hurley, who play their matches around the Wagener Stadium in the nearby city of Amstelveen. All rights reserved. She replaces Eberhard van der Laan (Labour Party) who was the Mayor of Amsterdam from 2010 until his death in October 2017. In Amsterdam is the Kleinkunstacademie (English: Cabaret Academy) and Nederlied Kleinkunstkoor (English: Cabaret Choir). According to the 2007 European Cities Monitor (ECM) an annual location survey of Europe's leading companies carried out by global real estate consultant Cushman & Wakefield Amsterdam is one of the top European cities in which to locate an international business, ranking fifth in the survey. Before moving to their current location in 1996, Ajax played their regular matches in the now demolished De Meer Stadion in the eastern part of the city[213] or in the Olympic Stadium. [222] Though much larger in area, the population of this area is only slightly larger, because the definition excludes the relatively populous municipality of Zaanstad. The Westphalians came to Amsterdam mostly for economic reasons their influx continued through the 18th and 19th centuries. The Dutch seat of government is not metropolis of Amsterdam but The Hague. After Cuba turned them away, they returned to Amsterdam, which was soon captured by the Nazis. For example, the year 2006 was designated "Rembrandt 400", to celebrate the 400th birthday of Rembrandt van Rijn. In the 16th century, the Dutch rebelled against Philip II of Spain and his successors. [148] In the early 17th century, when immigration was at a peak, a comprehensive plan was developed that was based on four concentric half-circles of canals with their ends emerging at the IJ bay. After the 2014 municipal council elections, a governing majority of D66, VVD and SP was formed the first coalition without the Labour Party since World War II. Consequently, the Zuidas (English: South Axis) has become the new financial and legal hub of Amsterdam,[172] with the country's five largest law firms and several subsidiaries of large consulting firms, such as Boston Consulting Group and Accenture, as well as the World Trade Centre (Amsterdam) located in the Zuidas district. Some of these markets are held daily, like the Albert Cuypmarkt and the Dappermarkt. Speed skating championships have been held on the 400-meter lane of this ice rink. [130] One of the principal architects behind the city's Catholic churches, Cuypers, was also responsible for the Amsterdam Centraal station and the Rijksmuseum. It also houses paintings from artists like Bartholomeus van der Helst, Johannes Vermeer, Frans Hals, Ferdinand Bol, Albert Cuyp, Jacob van Ruisdael and Paulus Potter. [226] Previous versions of the constitution only mentioned "the city of Amsterdam" ("de stad Amsterdam"). Its collection consists of nearly one million objects. Other shopping areas include the Negen Straatjes and Haarlemmerdijk and Haarlemmerstraat. From the late 1960s onwards many buildings in Amsterdam have been squatted both for housing and for using as social centres. The ceremony traditionally takes place at the Nieuwe Kerk on Dam Square, immediately after the former monarch has signed the act of abdication at the nearby Royal Palace of Amsterdam. [209] During the same year, Amsterdam was designated as the World Book Capital for one year by UNESCO.[210]. [citation needed], In the second half of the 17th century, Amsterdam experienced an influx of Ashkenazim, Jews from Central and Eastern Europe. While Amsterdam was under the influence of German music in the 19th century there were few national opera productions; the Hollandse Opera of Amsterdam was built in 1888 for the specific purpose of promoting Dutch opera. These new neighbourhoods were built to relieve the city's shortage of living space and give people affordable houses with modern conveniences. The modern-styled Nemo is dedicated to child-friendly science exhibitions. Amsterdam's high-end shops are found in the streets P.C. So, we have quite high standards for building companies who want to build in Amsterdam when it comes to energy use, when it comes to materials that they use, the kind of circularity that they put into their buildings. It drew more than 5million international visitors in 2014. [159][160], After the Second World War, large new neighbourhoods were built in the western, southeastern, and northern parts of the city. The old city centre is the focal point of all the architectural styles before the end of the 19th century. One of Amsterdam's busiest high streets is the narrow, medieval Kalverstraat in the heart of the city. During the Napoleonic Wars, Amsterdam's significance reached its lowest point, with Holland being absorbed into the French Empire. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 HarperCollins In response, the Dutch Communist Party organized the February strike attended by 300,000 people to protest against the raids. [25] The Port of Amsterdam is the fifth largest in Europe. [217], As with all Dutch municipalities, Amsterdam is governed by a directly elected municipal council, a municipal executive board and a government appointed[218] mayor (burgemeester). This used to be primarily Roman Catholicism and various Protestant denominations, but with the influx of Muslim immigrants, there has been a rise in the number of Islamic schools. Aside from paintings, the collection consists of a large variety of decorative art. [242] Bicycles are used by all socio-economic groups because of their convenience, Amsterdam's small size, the 400 kilometres (249 miles) of bike paths,[243] the flat terrain, and the inconvenience of driving an automobile. Amsterdam is located in the Western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland, the capital of which is not Amsterdam, but rather Haarlem. In the summertime, there are several big outdoor dance parties in or nearby Amsterdam, such as Awakenings, Dance Valley, Mystery Land, Loveland, A Day at the Park, Welcome to the Future, and Valtifest. Most are accessible by cyclists. The city's population declined in the early 19th century,[91] dipping under 200,000 in 1820. Amsterdam's prosperity declined during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In order to facilitate easier transport to the centre of Amsterdam, the city has various P+R Locations where people can park their car at an affordable price and transfer to one of the numerous public transport lines.[228]. Parking fees are expensive, and many streets are closed to cars or are one-way. [37] This allowed the inhabitants of the village to travel freely through the County of Holland, paying no tolls at bridges, locks and dams. Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. Colloquially, some areas within the municipality, such as the town of Durgerdam, may not be considered part of Amsterdam. It lies to the east of Damrak and contains the city's famous red-light district. 429), Azealia Banks Opens Up About Her Journey from Stripping to Rap Stardom, The Life and Art of Radical Provocateurand Commune LeaderOtto Muehl, Gay Palestinians In Israel: The 'Invisible Men'. It is considered by critics to be a concert hall with some of the best acoustics in the world. Amsterdam is one of the most bicycle-friendly large cities in the world and is a centre of bicycle culture with good facilities for cyclists such as bike paths and bike racks, and several guarded bike storage garages (fietsenstalling) which can be used. As the commercial capital of the Netherlands and one of the top financial centres in Europe, Amsterdam is considered an alpha world city by the Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) study group. This is transformed into an ice rink in winter. This can be recognised by the suffix -meer which means lake, as in Aalsmeer, Bijlmermeer, Haarlemmermeer and Watergraafsmeer. The neighbourhood comprised the Waterlooplein and the Nieuwmarkt. [248] A number of these squats have legalised and become well known, such as OCCII, OT301, Paradiso and Vrankrijk. The project was controversial because its cost had exceeded its budget by a factor of three by 2008,[65] because of fears of damage to buildings in the centre, and because construction had to be halted and restarted multiple times. First and centre are three St Andrew's crosses, aligned in a vertical band on the city's shield (although Amsterdam's patron saint was Saint Nicholas). Fashion models like Yfke Sturm, Doutzen Kroes and Kim Noorda started their careers in Amsterdam. Second is the Imperial Crown of Austria. In 2009, the new hall of the Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam, Toneelgroep Amsterdam and Melkweg opened, and the renovation of the front end of the theatre was ready.