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90-590: The Tabakspanden are a group of buildings standing on the Spuistraat in central Amsterdam , adjacent to the Keizerrijk and Wijdesteeg alleyways. Named after a former owner, the speculator Hendrik Tabak, they were mostly squatted from 1983 onwards, although the artist Peter Klashorst also rented an apartment and gallery space. The best known building was Spuistraat 199, known as the Slangenpand (Snakehouse) because of

180-476: A city thought to be overwhelmed by the tourist influx. Construction of a new metro line connecting the part of the city north of the IJ to its southern part was started in 2003. The project was controversial because its cost had exceeded its budget by a factor of three by 2008, because of fears of damage to buildings in the centre, and because construction had to be halted and restarted multiple times. The new metro line

270-699: A defense of Catholicism during the Protestant Reformation. The main reasons for the uprising were the imposition of new taxes, the tenth penny, and the religious persecution of Protestants by the newly introduced Inquisition . The revolt escalated into the Eighty Years' War , which ultimately led to Dutch independence. Strongly pushed by Dutch Revolt leader William the Silent , the Dutch Republic became known for its relative religious tolerance. Jews from

360-589: A flood in 1916, the depleted municipalities of Durgerdam, Holysloot, Zunderdorp and Schellingwoude , all lying north of Amsterdam, were, at their own request, annexed to the city. Between the wars, the city continued to expand, most notably to the west of the Jordaan district in the Frederik Hendrikbuurt and surrounding neighbourhoods. Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940 and took control of

450-584: A full-service bank for Dutch merchant bankers and as a reserve bank. From the 17th century onwards, Amsterdam also became involved in the Atlantic slave trade . The city was a major destination port for Dutch slave ships participating in the triangular trade , which lasted until the United Netherlands abolished the Netherlands' involvement in the trade in 1814 at the request of the British government . Amsterdam

540-697: A house named the "Silvere Can". He remained here for the rest of his career. The Donkere Sluis was built between 1625 and 1657 connecting the Singel to the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal via the Nieuwezijds Achterburgwal. It provided a water route between the old city and the expansion beyond the Singel. Without it, water traffic had to use the Kattengat or the Boerenverdriet. With the third expansion,

630-462: A junction of international waterways. A settlement was built here immediately after the landscape change of 1170. Right from the start of its foundation it focused on traffic, production and trade; not on farming, as opposed to how communities had lived further upstream for the past 200 years and northward for thousands of years. The construction of a dam at the mouth of the Amstel, eponymously named Dam ,

720-474: A major eviction operation on the Wednesday which was screened live by local media. Whilst squatted, the buildings housed artists and activists. The Tabakspanden were well known for their colourful facades and graffiti, with the Slangenpand (Snakehouse) easily identified by the snake painted across the front exterior of the building. The buildings were used for events such as art markets and film nights. At one stage

810-482: A modest semi-permanent or seasonal settlement. Until water issues were controlled, a permanent settlement would not have been possible, since the river mouth and the banks of the Amstel in this period in time were too wet for permanent habitation. The origins of Amsterdam are linked to the development of a dam on the Amstel River called Amestelle , meaning 'watery area', from Aa(m) 'river' + stelle 'site at

900-594: A number of hot and humid days with occasional rain every month. The average daily high in August is 22.1 °C (72 °F), and 30 °C (86 °F) or higher is only measured on average on 2.5 days, placing Amsterdam in AHS Heat Zone 2. The record extremes range from −19.7 °C (−3.5 °F) to 36.3 °C (97.3 °F). Days with more than 1 mm (0.04 in) of precipitation are common, on average 133 days per year. Amsterdam's average annual precipitation

990-515: A shoreline', 'river bank'. In this area, land reclamation started as early as the late 10th century. Amestelle was located along a side arm of the IJ. This side arm took the name from the eponymous land: Amstel. Amestelle was inhabited by farmers, who lived more inland and more upstream, where the land was not as wet as at the banks of the downstream river mouth. These farmers were starting the reclamation around upstream Ouderkerk aan de Amstel , and later at

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1080-543: A strong influence on the 'Amsterdam dialect' adding a large Yiddish local vocabulary. Despite an absence of an official Jewish ghetto , most Jews preferred to live in the eastern part, which used to be the centre of medieval Amsterdam. The main street of this Jewish neighbourhood was Jodenbreestraat. The neighbourhood comprised the Waterlooplein and the Nieuwmarkt . Buildings in this neighbourhood fell into disrepair after

1170-407: A succession of owners from the criminal underworld before being bought by housing association De Key in 2008. The Tabakspanden were mostly squatted from 1983 onwards and all evicted in 2015. The buildings were relinquished by the squatters on Saturday 22 March 2015, but on Tuesday 24, a different group of squatters reoccupied the buildings as a protest against gentrification. The police then mounted

1260-511: Is 838 mm (33 in). A large part of this precipitation falls as light rain or brief showers. Cloudy and damp days are common during the cooler months of October through March. In 1300, Amsterdam's population was around 1,000 people. While many towns in Holland experienced population decline during the 15th and 16th centuries, Amsterdam's population grew, mainly due to the rise of the profitable Baltic maritime trade especially in grain after

1350-623: Is considered its Golden Age , during which it became the wealthiest city in the Western world. Ships sailed from Amsterdam to the Baltic Sea , the Caribbean, North America, and Africa, as well as present-day Indonesia , India, Sri Lanka , and Brazil , forming the basis of a worldwide trading network. Amsterdam's merchants had the largest share in both the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and

1440-479: Is historically estimated to have occurred between 1264 and 1275. The settlement first appeared in a document from 1275, concerning a road toll granted by the count of Holland Floris V to the residents apud Amestelledamme 'at the dam in the Amstel' or 'at the dam of Amstelland'. This allowed the inhabitants of the village to travel freely through the County of Holland , paying no tolls at bridges, locks and dams. This

1530-632: Is in the southwest. Amsterdam is connected to the North Sea through the long North Sea Canal . Amsterdam is intensely urbanised, as is the Amsterdam metropolitan area surrounding the city. Comprising 219.4 km (84.7 sq mi) of land, the city proper has 4,457 inhabitants per km and 2,275 houses per km . Parks and nature reserves make up 12% of Amsterdam's land area. Amsterdam has more than 100 km (60 mi) of canals , most of which are navigable by boat. The city's three main canals are

1620-502: Is located in the Western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland , the capital of which is not Amsterdam, but rather Haarlem . The river Amstel ends in the city centre and connects to a large number of canals that eventually terminate in the IJ . Amsterdam's elevation is about −2 m (−6.6 ft) below sea level . The surrounding land is flat as it is formed of large polders . An artificial forest, Amsterdamse Bos ,

1710-661: The Concertgebouw were built; At the same time, the Industrial Revolution reached the city. The Amsterdam–Rhine 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 . Both projects dramatically improved commerce with the rest of Europe and the world. In 1906, Joseph Conrad gave a brief description of Amsterdam as seen from

1800-615: The Amstel ' ) is the capital and most populated city of the Netherlands . It has a population of 921,402 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the urban area and 2,480,394 in the metropolitan area . Located in the Dutch province of North Holland , Amsterdam is colloquially referred to as the " Venice of the North ", for its large number of canals , now a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Amsterdam

1890-784: The Dam Square , where the Royal Palace of Amsterdam and former city hall are located; the Amsterdam Museum ; Stedelijk Museum , with modern art; the Concertgebouw concert hall; the Anne Frank House ; the Scheepvaartmuseum , the Natura Artis Magistra ; Hortus Botanicus , NEMO , the red-light district and cannabis coffee shops . The city is known for its nightlife and festival activity, with several nightclubs among

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1980-611: The Dutch East Indies in the 1940s and 1950s. In the 1960s guest workers from Turkey, Morocco, Italy, and Spain immigrated to Amsterdam. After the independence of Suriname in 1975, a large wave of Surinamese settled in Amsterdam, mostly in the Bijlmer area. Other immigrants, including refugees asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants , came from Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. In

2070-467: The Dutch Republic , which itself was a much smaller state than Great Britain, France or the Ottoman Empire . In contrast to those other metropolises, Amsterdam was also surrounded by large towns such as Leiden (about 67,000), Rotterdam (45,000), Haarlem (38,000) and Utrecht (30,000). The city's population declined in the early 19th century, dipping under 200,000 in 1820. By the second half of

2160-573: The Dutch West India Company . These companies acquired overseas possessions that later became Dutch colonies . Amsterdam was Europe's most important hub for the shipment of goods and was the leading financial centre of the Western world. In 1602, the Amsterdam office of the Dutch East India Company became the world's first stock exchange by trading in its own shares. The Bank of Amsterdam started operations in 1609, acting as

2250-662: The Edict of Fontainebleau in 1685, while the Flemish Protestants came during the Eighty Years' War against Catholic Spain. The Westphalians came to Amsterdam mostly for economic reasons; their influx continued through the 18th and 19th centuries. Before the Second World War, 10% of the city population was Jewish . Just twenty percent of them survived the Holocaust . Amsterdam experienced an influx of religions and cultures after

2340-636: The Iberian Peninsula , Protestant 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 influx of Flemish printers and the city's intellectual tolerance made Amsterdam a centre for the European free press . During the 17th century, Amsterdam experienced what

2430-747: The North Sea to the west, with prevailing westerly winds. Amsterdam, as well as most of the North Holland province, lies in USDA Hardiness zone 8b. Frosts mainly occur during spells of easterly or northeasterly winds from the inner European continent. Even then, because Amsterdam is surrounded on three sides by large bodies of water, as well as having a significant heat-island effect , nights rarely fall below −5 °C (23 °F), while it could easily be −12 °C (10 °F) in Hilversum , 25 km (16 mi) southeast. Summers are moderately warm with

2520-698: The Oude Kerk and the Nieuwezijde with the Nieuwe Kerk . In 1342 a simple earthen embankment was raised to protect the small town of Amsterdam, with a narrow canal in front of it where the Oudezijds Voorburgwal and Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal are today. As the town grew, new defenses were built further out: the Oudezijds Achterburgwal in 1367 and the Nieuwezijds Achterburgwal in 1380. At this time

2610-762: The Prinsengracht , the Herengracht and the Keizersgracht . In the Middle Ages , Amsterdam was surrounded by a moat, called the Singel , which now forms the innermost ring in the city, and gives the city centre a horseshoe shape. The city is also served by a seaport . It has been compared with Venice , due to its division into about 90 islands, which are linked by more than 1,200 bridges. Amsterdam has an oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ) strongly influenced by its proximity to

2700-486: The UNESCO World Heritage List . 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 17 million. Real estate prices have surged, and local shops are making way for tourist-oriented ones, making the centre unaffordable for the city's inhabitants. These developments have evoked comparisons with Venice ,

2790-515: The grachtengordel (canal belt) had cross-canals at regular intervals, solving the problem. Since land was in short supply, in the 1661 the City horse stables were built over the Donkere Sluis. By the mid 1800s, the canal mainly held warehouses and stables near the houses on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal . The canal was a long, smelly ditch with uneven and narrow quays. The city council decided to fill in

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2880-550: The social housing projects in Amsterdam-West and the Bijlmer. Today, people of non-Western origin make up approximately one-fifth of the population of Amsterdam, and more than 30% of the city's children. A slight majority of the residents of Amsterdam have at least one parent who was born outside the country. However, a much larger majority has at least one parent who was born inside the country (intercultural marriages are common in

2970-519: The 1970s and 1980s, many 'old' Amsterdammers moved to 'new' cities like Almere and Purmerend , prompted by the third Land-use planning bill of the Dutch Government. This bill promoted suburbanization and arranged for new developments in so-called "groeikernen", literally cores of growth . Young professionals and artists moved into neighborhoods De Pijp and the Jordaan abandoned by these Amsterdammers. The non-Western immigrants settled mostly in

3060-422: The 19th century, industrialization spurred renewed growth. Amsterdam's population hit an all-time high of 872,000 in 1959, before declining in the following decades due to government-sponsored suburbanisation to so-called groeikernen (growth centres) such as Purmerend and Almere . Between 1970 and 1980, Amsterdam experienced a sharp population decline, peaking at a net loss of 25,000 people in 1973. By 1985

3150-903: The Burgundian victory in the Dutch–Hanseatic War in 1441. The population of Amsterdam was only modest compared to the towns and cities of Flanders and Brabant , which comprised the most urbanized area of the Low Countries. This changed when, during the Dutch Revolt , many people from the Southern Netherlands fled to the North, especially after Antwerp fell to Spanish forces in 1585. Jews from Spain, Portugal and Eastern Europe similarly settled in Amsterdam, as did Germans and Scandinavians. In thirty years, Amsterdam's population more than doubled between 1585 and 1610. By 1600, its population

3240-555: The Netherlands. This led to the establishment of many non-Dutch-speaking churches. In 1603, the Jewish received permission to practice their religion in the city. In 1639, the first synagogue was consecrated. The Jews came to call the town " Jerusalem of the West ". As they became established in the city, other Christian denominations used converted Catholic chapels to conduct their own services. The oldest English-language church congregation in

3330-555: The Nieuwezijds Achterburgwal on 28 January 1866. The canal was filled in 1868 at the same time as the Kattegat, a ditch between Nieuwezijds Achterburgwal and the Stroomarkt. The purpose was to improve public health and to make the city more accessible. The change seems to have been popular with the residents. The name was changed to Spuistraat in November 1867 and a double row of chestnut trees

3420-407: The Second World War a large section of the neighbourhood was demolished during the construction of the metro system. This led to riots, and as a result the original plans for large-scale reconstruction were abandoned by the government. The neighbourhood was rebuilt with smaller-scale residence buildings on the basis of its original layout. Catholic churches in Amsterdam have been constructed since

3510-409: The Second World War. With 180 different nationalities, Amsterdam is home to one of the widest varieties of nationalities of any city in the world. The proportion of the population of immigrant origin in the city proper is about 50% and 88% of the population are Dutch citizens. The first mass immigration in the 20th century was by people from Indonesia, who came to Amsterdam after the independence of

3600-458: The Snakehouse white. Of the 69 apartments, 27 were renovated and 42 constructed, with 36 parking places. The works were delayed on 30 April 2016, when a 51 year old German man set fire to the buildings and then jumped to his death. The price for a new apartment of 60m² was €520,000 and in the former Snakehouse, an apartment of 50m² could be rented for €1550 a month, not including utilities. By 2018,

3690-696: The Spuistraat in 1877, from the Dam Square to the Leidseplein . It was replaced in 1903 by an electric streetcar, line 2, which ran to the Leidseplein by way of the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal and Spui; in 1904 line 2 was added. The streetcar (electric tram) Amsterdam - Haarlem - Zandvoort (the Blue Tram) ran from 1904 to 1957 from the Raadhuisstraat through the southern end of the street, and from 1914 to 1957 it ended on

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3780-548: The Spuistraat. From 1961 to 1974 a number of bus lines of the Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf ended on the Spuistraat. These days, the street is part of the city loop that guides traffic through downtown. Attempts by locals to have that loop shifted to the (wider) Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal have failed. Amsterdam Amsterdam ( / ˈ æ m s t ər d æ m / AM -stər-dam , UK also / ˌ æ m s t ər ˈ d æ m / AM -stər- DAM , Dutch: [ˌɑmstərˈdɑm] ; lit.   ' Dam in

3870-404: The artist Peter Klashorst rented an apartment and gallery space which he called Cash & Carry, based at Spuistraat 219. The building at 199 Spuistraat was occupied on 6 March 1983, by 200 squatters while the police were busy with an Ajax Amsterdam football match. In 1990, a snake was painted on the first four metres of the building's exterior by Patries van Elsen and in 1994 it grew to cover

3960-402: The building complex was bought by Gerard Adriaan Heineken. After the canal was filled in, Heineken moved his brewery to the Stadhouderskade in Amsterdam. The Nieuwezijds Achterburgwal had warehouses and stables that belonged to the larger houses on the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. In May 1621 the printer and newspaper publisher Broer Jansz (1579–1652) settled on the Nieuwezijds Achterburgwal in

4050-424: The buildings in 2008 and had held development permits since 2014. They planned to build apartments and shops, but the plan was halted following the European debt crisis , and thus the squatters stayed longer. The redevelopment project was named De Keizer and was run by project managers De Nijs, who bought the properties from De Key in 2016. They planned to build 69 apartments, a restaurant and a gallery, and to painted

4140-405: The city expanded and new neighborhoods and suburbs were built. The city has a long tradition of openness, liberalism, and tolerance. Cycling is key to the city's modern character, and there are numerous biking paths and lanes spread throughout. Amsterdam's main attractions include its historic canals ; the Rijksmuseum , the state museum with Dutch Golden Age art; the Van Gogh Museum ;

4230-403: The city from the IJ to the Amstel . The Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal no longer had a defensive purpose. The brewery "De Hooiberg" was established on the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal in 1592 on the site now occupied by the Hotel Die Port van Cleve . It was very successful, and in the years that followed, the building was expanded between the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal and Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. In 1863

4320-425: The city had only 675,570 residents. This was soon followed by reurbanization and gentrification , leading to renewed population growth in the 2010s. Also in the 2010s, much of Amsterdam's population growth was due to immigration to the city. In the 16th and 17th century, non-Dutch immigrants to Amsterdam were mostly Protestant Huguenots and Flemings , Sephardic Jews , and Westphalians . Huguenots came after

4410-431: The city's Zuidoost (southeast) exclave and the centre of Amsterdam. Further plans were to build a new highway above the metro to connect Amsterdam Centraal and the city centre with other parts of the city. The required large-scale demolitions began in Amsterdam's former Jewish neighborhood. Smaller streets, such as the Jodenbreestraat and Weesperstraat, were widened and almost all houses and buildings were demolished. At

4500-499: The city). Only a third of inhabitants under 15 are autochthons ( person with two parents of Dutch origin). In 2023, autochthons were a minority in 40% of Amsterdam's neighborhoods. Segregation along ethnic lines is clearly visible, with people of non-Western origin, considered a separate group by Statistics Netherlands , concentrating in specific neighborhoods especially in Nieuw-West , Zeeburg , Bijlmer and in certain areas of Amsterdam-Noord . In 2000, Christians formed

4590-406: The city. During the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars , Amsterdam's significance reached its lowest point, with Holland being absorbed into the French Empire . However, the later establishment of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815 marked a turning point. The end of the 19th century is sometimes called Amsterdam's second Golden Age. New museums, a railway station, and

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4680-572: The cluster of buildings after World War II . At his peak, Tabak owned 118 buildings and 800 homes across Amsterdam. In the 1970s, Tabak was attacked inside one of his own buildings on the Spuistraat and robbed of his wallet. He later died from his injuries. The Tabakspanden consisted of two blocks, separated by the Wijdesteeg. The first block was composed of Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 268-hs, Spuistraat 219 to 231 and Wijdesteeg 3 to 7. The second block consisted of Spuistraat 199, Spuistraat 215 and 217, Wijdesteeg 4 to 20 and Keizerrijk 3 to 11. The buildings had

4770-399: The country. Some Amsterdam citizens sheltered Jews, thereby exposing themselves and their families to a high risk of being imprisoned or sent to concentration camps. More than 100,000 Dutch Jews were deported to Nazi concentration camps , of whom some 60,000 lived in Amsterdam. In response, the Dutch Communist Party organized the February strike attended by 300,000 people to protest against

4860-408: The developments were complete. Spuistraat The Nieuwezijds Achterburgwal (New Side Behind Bastion Wall ) is a former canal in Amsterdam , the Netherlands. From around 1380 to 1450 it was part of the town's defenses, forming the western limit of the medieval city of Amsterdam. Until about the 14th century, the river Amstel divided the city in two roughly equal parts--the Oudezijde with

4950-438: The entire building, so 199 came to be known as the Snakehouse. After the 2015 eviction, the board with the snake's head painted on it was removed from the building and it was uncertain for a time what had happened to it. Van Elsen wanted it returned so it could be exhibited, whilst a group of squatters claimed to have taken it hostage. De Key then announced that it had been removed by a contractor to protect it from being damaged. It

5040-407: The entire city centre. Although the success of this struggle is visible today, efforts for further restoration are still ongoing. The entire city centre has reattained its former splendour and, as a whole, is now a protected area . Many of its buildings have become monuments, and in July 2010 the Grachtengordel (the three concentric canals: Herengracht, Keizersgracht, and Prinsengracht) was added to

5130-451: The founding of Amsterdam is later than other urban centres in the Low Countries . However, around the area of what later became Amsterdam, farmers settled as early as three millennia ago. They lived along the prehistoric IJ river and upstream of its tributary Amstel. The prehistoric IJ was a shallow and quiet stream in peatland behind beach ridges . This secluded area was able to grow into an important local settlement centre, especially in

5220-438: The heyday of the Stille Omgang , which became the expression of the pilgrimage after the Protestant Reformation , up to 90,000 pilgrims came to Amsterdam. From the 14th century on, Amsterdam flourished, largely from trade with the Hanseatic League . From the 15th century on the city established an independent trade route with the Baltic Sea in grain and timber, cutting out the Hanseatic League as middlemen. The city became

5310-401: The industry. The herring industry relied on international trade cooperation and large initial investments in ships. This required many highly skilled and unskilled workers cooperating, as well as the import of the necessary raw materials to turn an unfinished product into a marketable one. This required merchants to then sell it throughout the continent and book-keepers and accountants to divide

5400-420: The large mural which covered the front exterior. In 2015, the squatters were evicted and the buildings were mostly demolished prior to redevelopment. The new project is known as De Keizer and has 69 apartments, a restaurant and a gallery. Two of the buildings are registered as rijksmonumenten (national monuments). In the 17th century, there was a soap factory on the Wijdesteeg called De Klock. Before that, there

5490-415: The largely Catholic city of Amsterdam joined the revolt against Spanish rule, late in comparison to other major northern Dutch cities. Catholic priests were driven out of the city. Following the Dutch takeover, all churches were converted to Protestant worship. Calvinism was declared the main religion. It was forbidden to openly profess Roman Catholicism and the Catholic hierarchy was prohibited until

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5580-549: The largest religious group in the city (28% of the population). The next largest religion was Islam (8%), most of whose followers were Sunni . In 2015, Christians formed the largest religious group in the city (28% of the population). The next largest religion was Islam (7.1%), most of whose followers were Sunni . Amsterdam has been one of the municipalities in the Netherlands which provided immigrants with extensive and free Dutch-language courses, which have benefited many immigrants. Religion in Amsterdam (2015) In 1578,

5670-404: The late Bronze Age , the Iron Age and the Roman Age . Neolithic and Roman artefacts have also been found in the prehistoric Amstel bedding under Amsterdam's Damrak and Rokin , such as shards of Bell Beaker culture pottery (2200–2000 BC) and a granite grinding stone (2700–2750 BC), but the location of these artefacts around the river banks of the Amstel probably point to a presence of

5760-443: The mid-19th century . This led to the establishment of clandestine churches , covert religious buildings hidden in pre-existing buildings. Catholics, some Jews and dissenting Protestants worshipped in such buildings. A large influx of foreigners of many religions came to 17th-century Amsterdam, in particular Sefardic Jews from Spain and Portugal, Huguenots from France, Lutherans , Mennonites , as well as Protestants from across

5850-399: The old side and the new side. This created the Oudezijds Voorburgwal , Oudezijds Achterburgwal , Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal , and Nieuwezijds Achterburgwal, dug in 1380. Amsterdam continued to grow, and in 1425 a broad new canal was dug further east of the town, where the Geldersekade and Kloveniersburgwal are today. Twenty-five years later the Singel was completed round the west side of

5940-423: The other side of the river at Amstelveen . The Van Amstel family , known in documents by this name since 1019, held the stewardship in this northwestern nook of the ecclesiastical district of the bishop of Utrecht . The family later served also under the count of Holland . A major turning point in the development of the Amstel river mouth was the All Saint's Flood of 1170 . In an extremely short period of time,

6030-526: The peak of the demolition, the Nieuwmarktrellen ( Nieuwmarkt riots ) broke out; the rioters expressed their fury about the demolition caused by the restructuring of the city. As a result, the demolition was stopped and the highway into the city's centre was never fully built; only the metro was completed. Only a few streets remained widened. The new city hall was built on the almost completely demolished Waterlooplein. Meanwhile, large private organizations, such as Stadsherstel Amsterdam , were founded to restore

6120-434: The profit. In short, the herring industry was setting up the foundations for what would later become the transcontinental trade system and the Dutch Golden Age , with Amsterdam at its centre, hence the saying "Amsterdam is built on Herring bones". The Low Countries were part of the Hapsburg inheritance and came under the Spanish monarchy in the early sixteenth century. The Dutch rebelled against Philip II of Spain , who led

6210-470: The raids. The most famous deportee was the young Jewish girl Anne Frank , who died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp . At the end of the Second World War, communication with the rest of the country broke down, and food and fuel became scarce. Many citizens traveled to the countryside to forage. Dogs, cats, raw sugar beets , and tulip bulbs—cooked to a pulp—were consumed to stay alive. Many trees in Amsterdam were cut down for fuel, and wood

6300-438: The restoration of the episcopal hierarchy in 1853. One of the principal architects behind the city's Catholic churches, Cuypers , was also responsible for the Amsterdam Centraal station and the Rijksmuseum . In 1924, the Catholic Church hosted the International Eucharistic Congress in Amsterdam; numerous Catholic prelates visited the city, where festivities were held in churches and stadiums. Catholic processions on

6390-503: The seaside, in The Mirror of the Sea . Shortly before the First World War , the city started to expand again, and new suburbs were built. Even though the Netherlands remained neutral in this war, Amsterdam suffered a food shortage, and heating fuel became scarce. The shortages sparked riots in which several people were killed. These riots are known as the Aardappeloproer (Potato rebellion). People started looting stores and warehouses to get supplies, mainly food. On 1 January 1921, after

6480-565: The second half of the 17th century, Amsterdam experienced an influx of Ashkenazim , Jews from Central and Eastern Europe . Jews often fled the pogroms in those areas. The first Ashkenazis who arrived in Amsterdam were refugees from the Khmelnytsky uprising occurring in Ukraine and the Thirty Years' War , which devastated much of Central Europe. They not only founded their own synagogues, but had

6570-467: The shallow river IJ turned into a wide estuary, which from then on offered the Amstel an open connection to the Zuiderzee , IJssel and waterways further afield. This made the water flow of the Amstel more active, so excess water could be drained better. With drier banks, the downstream Amstel mouth became attractive for permanent habitation. Moreover, the river had grown from an insignificant peat stream into

6660-410: The staple market of Europe for bulk cargo . This was made possible due to innovations in the herring fishery , from which Amsterdam reaped great wealth. Herring had demand in markets all around Europe. Inventions of on-board gibbing and the haringbuis in 1415, made longer voyages feasible, and hence enabled Dutch fishermen to follow the herring shoals far from the coasts, giving them a monopoly in

6750-451: The top financial centres in Europe, Amsterdam is considered an alpha world city . The city is the cultural capital of the Netherlands. Many large Dutch institutions have their headquarters in the city. Many of the world's largest companies are based here or have established their European headquarters in the city, such as technology companies Uber , Netflix , and Tesla . In 2022, Amsterdam

6840-422: The town's population was between 3,000 and 5,000, so construction of the fortifications would have been a huge effort. To protect the city, a canal was dug on each side, with a city wall behind it made of dirt with a wooden palisade . When new fortifications were built around 1385, the existing ones became "Voorburgwal" ("voor" meaning "in front"), and the new ones "Achterburgwal" ("achter" meaning "behind"), on both

6930-420: The war and other events of the 20th century, almost the entire city centre had fallen into disrepair. As society was changing, politicians and other influential figures made plans to redesign large parts of it. There was an increasing demand for office buildings, and also for new roads, as the automobile became available to most people. A metro started operating in 1977 between the new suburb of Bijlmermeer in

7020-557: The world . The Dutch capital is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, with about 180 nationalities represented. Immigration and ethnic segregation in Amsterdam is a current issue. Amsterdam's notable residents throughout its history include painters Rembrandt and Vincent van Gogh , 17th-century philosophers Baruch Spinoza , John Locke , René Descartes , and the Holocaust victim and diarist Anne Frank . Due to its geographical location in what used to be wet peatland ,

7110-795: The world outside the United Kingdom is found at the Begijnhof . Regular services there are still offered in English under the auspices of the Church of Scotland . Being Calvinists, the Huguenots soon integrated into the Dutch Reformed Church , though often retaining their own congregations. Some, commonly referred to by the moniker 'Walloon', are recognizable today as they offer occasional services in French. In

7200-400: The world's most famous. Its artistic heritage, canals and narrow canal houses with gabled façades , well-preserved legacies of the city's 17th-century Golden Age, have attracted millions of visitors annually. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange , founded in 1602, is considered the oldest "modern" securities market stock exchange in the world. As the commercial capital of the Netherlands and one of

7290-511: Was a brewery called Het Delftsche Wapen, also known as De Witte Eenhoorn. The ruins of these enterprises were discovered by archaeologists during the recent redevelopments. Spuistraat 199 was the former headquarters of the Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau , a Dutch news agency . Houses 223 and 225 on the Spuistraat are rijksmonumenten (national monuments). The Tabakspanden are named after the speculator Hendrik Tabak, who bought

7380-420: Was a move in a years-long struggle for power in the area between the count of Holland and the Amstel family who governed the area on behalf of the bishop of Utrecht. By 1327, the name had developed into Aemsterdam . The bishop of Utrecht granted Amsterdam zone rights in either 1300 or 1306. The Mirakel van Amsterdam  [ nl ] in 1345 rendered the city an important place of pilgrimage . During

7470-588: Was also a member of the Society of Suriname , an organisation founded to oversee the management of the Dutch colony of Surinam , which was economically dependent on slave plantations . On 1 July 2021, the mayor of Amsterdam , Femke Halsema , apologised for the city's involvement in the slave trade. Amsterdam's prosperity declined during the 18th and early 19th centuries. The wars of the Dutch Republic with England (latterly, Great Britain ) and France took their toll on

7560-481: Was around 50,000. During the 1660s, Amsterdam's population reached 200,000. The city's growth levelled off and the population stabilized around 240,000 for most of the 18th century. In 1750, Amsterdam was the fourth largest city in Western Europe , behind London (676,000), Paris (560,000) and Naples (324,000). This was all the more remarkable as Amsterdam was neither the capital city nor the seat of government of

7650-491: Was completed in 2018. Since 2014, renewed focus has been given to urban regeneration and renewal, especially in areas directly bordering the city centre, such as Frederik Hendrikbuurt . This urban renewal and expansion of the traditional centre of the city—with the construction on artificial islands of the new eastern IJburg neighbourhood—is part of the Structural Vision Amsterdam 2040 initiative. Amsterdam

7740-469: Was founded at the mouth of the Amstel River, which was dammed to control flooding. Originally a small fishing village in the 12th century, Amsterdam became a major world port during the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, when the Netherlands was an economic powerhouse. Amsterdam was the leading centre for finance and trade, as well as a hub of secular art production. In the 19th and 20th centuries,

7830-683: Was planted along it. On the south side, the street ends at the Spui . Among the many alleys and streets connecting the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal and Achterburgwal was the Stilsteeg; it and Korte Gasthuismolensteed were widened in 1875 to create the Paleisstraat . Around 1895 the Huiszittensteeg and the Korte Huiszittensteeg were widened to create the Raadhuisstraat. The first horsecar ran through

7920-482: Was ranked the ninth-best city to live in by the Economist Intelligence Unit and 12th on quality of living for environment and infrastructure by Mercer. The city was ranked 4th place globally as a top tech hub in 2019. The Port of Amsterdam is the fifth largest in Europe. The KLM hub and Amsterdam's main airport, Schiphol , is the busiest airport in the Netherlands , third in Europe , and 11th in

8010-512: Was taken from the houses, apartments and other buildings of deported Jews. The city was finally liberated by Canadian forces on 5 May 1945, shortly before the end of the war in Europe. Many new suburbs, such as Osdorp , Slotervaart , Slotermeer and Geuzenveld , were built in the years after the Second World War. These suburbs contained many public parks and wide-open spaces, and the new buildings provided improved housing conditions with larger and brighter rooms, gardens, and balconies. Because of

8100-420: Was then taken to the Amsterdam Museum to be shown in the 'Urban Art' exhibition. Van Elsen commented "I continue to believe that it is a missed opportunity that Amsterdam [Council] and De Key want to destroy a breeding place and urban arts zone." During the recent redevelopments, it was determined that 199 Spuistraat was constructed in the 16th century using wood from Iceland . Housing corporation De Key bought

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