Amsterdam is the beautiful capital city of the Netherlands. Located in North Holland in the western part of the country and with a population of around 747,300, the city comprises the northern part of the Randstad, one of the largest metropolitan areas in Europe.
The name of the city derives from Amstellerdam, which indicates its origin: a dam in the Amstel river. A little fishing village in the late twentieth century, the city became an important port during the Dutch Golden Age. At the time, Amsterdam was the center for diamond and finance. It expanded in the 1800s and 1900s and many new suburbs and neighborhoods were built.
Today, the city remains as the cultural and financial capital of the Netherlands. Amsterdam’s major attractions include the Rijksmuseum, Hermitage Amsterdam, the Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, its historic canals and famous red-light district, and the many cannabis coffee shops that attract almost 3.7 million international visitors every year.
In addition, many huge Dutch institutions are based in the capital. In fact, some of the top 500 companies in the world, including ING and Philips, are based in Amsterdam. The world’s oldest stock exchange, the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, is also located in the center.
Amsterdam is also the birthplace of the so-called “Dutch Miracle”, which describes the unbelievable rise in wealth, influence, and power that made the city the world’s commerce and financial center, and simultaneously the heart of the Dutch Golden Age, which roughly covered the entire 1600s. The city also effectively became the curator of everything valuable, beautiful, fine, and cultured.
For over 500 years, the Dutch capital has been one of the major trading port cities in the world. It is known for its unmatched variety of goods while having unbeatably competitive prices. Amsterdam is no longer the financial and commerce center of world, but it is still a bargain heaven for any serious shopper.
