Amsterdam — Capital of the Netherlands
Built on wooden piles in a peat bog, Amsterdam became the richest city in the world in the 17th century. Rembrandt, Anne Frank, the diamond trade — how well do you know the City of Canals?
About Amsterdam — Capital of the Netherlands
Amsterdam (population 900,000 city; 2.5 million metro) is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, though the seat of government is in The Hague. The city was founded around 1270 as a small fishing village at the mouth of the Amstel river — its name literally means 'dam in the Amstel.' Built almost entirely on wooden piles driven into the marshy peat ground, Amsterdam has over 200,000 wooden foundation piles supporting its historic buildings.
The city's golden age came in the 17th century, when Amsterdam was the wealthiest city in the world and the Dutch East India Company (VOC) — the first publicly traded company in history — made it the hub of a global trading empire. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange, established in 1602, is considered the world's oldest. This wealth produced a remarkable artistic flowering: Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, and countless other Dutch Masters.
Amsterdam has over 100 km of canals and 1,500 bridges. The canal ring (Grachtengordel), built in the 17th century, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is also home to the Anne Frank House, where Anne Frank and her family hid for two years during the Nazi occupation before being discovered and deported. The Rijksmuseum houses the world's greatest collection of Dutch Golden Age painting, including Rembrandt's Night Watch.