Amsterdam circa 1544, before the semi-circular ring of canals was added.

The origins of Amsterdam lie in the 13th century. It is thought that fisherman living along the banks of the river Amstel built a bridge across the waterway just before it entered the IJ, then a large saltwater inlet. Wooden doors on the bridge served as a dam which at times held back the IJ. A the mouth of the Amstel, where the Damrak now is, thus formed a natural harbor. The oldest document which which refers to the settelment of Aemstelledamme, as it was then known, mentions that in 1204 the inhabitants of Kennemer penetrated the aggrem Aemestel, the Amstel dike, resulting in the destruction of the house of Gijsbrecht van Aemstel. Source: http://nl. ... Source: http://nl. ... Flag of Amsterdam (from de. ... Amsterdam Location Country The Netherlands Province North Holland Population 739. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... Amstel is the river in the Netherlands from which Amsterdam took its name. ... Satellite image of Amsterdam and surroundings showing whats left of the IJ, its polders, and the North Sea Canal. ... A birdseye view of Amsterdam circa 1544, looking south. ... Events February - Byzantine emperor Alexius IV is overthrown in a revolution, and Alexius V is proclaimed emperor. ...

An important year in the history of Amsterdam was 1275. While Amstelland fell under the administration jurisdiction of the Sticht Utrecht, Count Floris V of Holland granted the fishmen exemption from tolls. This meant the inhabitants in the vicinity of Aemstelledamme had right to travel through the county Holland without having to pay toll. After the murder of Floris in 1296, Amstelland belonged again to the Sticht. Events Eleanor de Montfort is captured by pirates in the employ of Edward I of England to prevent her marriage to Llywelyn the Last, prince of Jews over the age of 7 to wear the yellow badge and makes usury illegal Jean de Meun writes the second portion of the... Utrecht refers to various cities and areas: A province of the Netherlands A city in the Netherlands, and capital of the province of the same name A (historic) bishopric of the Netherlands An agglomeration in the Netherlands that includes the city of Utrecht A city in South Africa, in the... Count Floris V of Holland (1254–1296), der Keerlen God (God of the Peasants), is one of the most important figures of the first, native dynasty of Holland (833-1299). ... Holland is the common name in English referring to the Kingdom of the Netherlands (or exclusively its European part)--although this is incorrect from a Dutch perspective. ... Events April 27 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated by Edward I of England. ...

Around 1300, the bishop of Utrecht Gwijde van Henegouwen gave Amsterdam city rights. After his death, Count Willem III inherited Amstelland, upon which Amsterdam thenceforth fell under Holland. City rights are a medieval phenomenon in the history of the Low Countries. ...

In 1323, Willem III established a toll on the trade of beer from Hamburg. The contacts laid through the beer trade formed the basis for the subsequent trade with cities of the Hanseatic league in the Baltic Sea, from where during the 14th and 15th centuries the Amsterdammers increasingly acquired grain and timber. In 1342, Count Willem IV awarded the city "Groot Privilege", which greatly strengthened the position of the city. During the 15th century, Amsterdam became the granary of the northern low countries and the most important trading city in Holland. Events Canonization of Saint Thomas Aquinas Lithuania: Vilnius becomes capital August 12 - The Treaty of Nöteborg between Sweden and Novgorod (Russia) is signed, regulating the border for the first time Pharos of Alexandira Lighthouse (one of the Seven Wonders of the world) is destroyed by a series of earthquakes... A typical mug of lager beer, showing the golden colour of the beer and the foamy head floating on top. ... Position of Hamburg in Germany Hamburgs central broadway Jungfernstieg at the Alster lake, between 1900 and 1914 This article is about the city in Germany. ... The foundations of the Hanseatic League (German: Hanse), an alliance of trading cities that for a time in the later Middle Ages and the Early Modern period maintained a trade monopoly over most of Northern Europe and the Baltic, can be seen as early as the 12th century, with the... The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Eastern Europe and Central Europe, and the Danish islands. ... -1...

Conflict with Spain

The 16th century brought a rebellion by the Dutch against Philip II of Spain. The uprising was mainly caused by the lack of political power for the local nobility and by the religious intolerance of the Spanish. Although Amsterdam began the war on the Spanish side, it changed sides in 1578 and gave its support to William I of Orange. The rebellion led to the Eighty Years' War and Dutch independence. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Philip II of Spain (Spanish: Felipe II) - (May 21, 1527 – September 13, 1598), the first King of Spain understood as the whole peninsula of Hispania (r. ... William I (William the Silent) William I, Prince of Orange, Count of Nassau (April 24, 1533 – July 10, 1584) was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. ... The Eighty Years War, or Dutch Revolt from 1568 to 1648 was the secession war in which the proto-Netherlands first became an independent country and in which the region now known as Belgium became established. ...

One of the results of the war was that Spanish religious intolerance gave way to Dutch tolerance. In Amsterdam people were free to believe what they wanted (within certain limits). In the city remained a large Roman Catholic minority (and Roman Catholicism is still one of the major religions in Amsterdam), but the majority of the people belonged to the Reformed Church and other Protestant denominations. Saint Peters Basilica in Rome. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ...

Dam Square in the late 17th century: painting by Jan Adriaensz. Berckheyde (Gemäldegalerie, Dresden)

In these years religious wars raged throughout Europe and many people fled to the Dutch Republic and Amsterdam, where they sought refuge. Wealthy Jews from Spain and Portugal, prosperous merchants from Antwerp and the Huguenots from France all sought safety in Amsterdam. Download high resolution version (1081x770, 136 KB)Amsterdam, Dam square, Jan Adriaensz. ... Download high resolution version (1081x770, 136 KB)Amsterdam, Dam square, Jan Adriaensz. ... For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France. ...

The "Golden Age"

The 17th century was Amsterdam's Golden Age. Ships from the city sailed to North America, Indonesia, Brazil and Africa and formed the basis of a worldwide trading network. Amsterdam's merchants financed expeditions to the four corners of the world and they acquired the overseas posessions which formed the seeds of the later Dutch colonies. Rembrandt painted in this century and the city expanded mightily around its canals during this time. Amsterdam was the most important point for the transshipment of goods in Europe and it was the leading financial centre of the world (A position later taken over by London). (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and in population after Eurasia and Africa. ... A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (July 15, 1606 - October 4, 1669) is generally considered one of the greatest painters in European art history, and the most important United Provinces (Netherlands) painter of the seventeenth century. ...

The 18th and early 19th centuries saw a decline in Amsterdam's prosperity. The wars of the Dutch Republic with the United Kingdom and France took their toll on Amsterdam. During the Napoleonic wars Amsterdam's fortunes reached their lowest point, however, with the establishment of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815, things slowly began to improve. In Amsterdam new developments were started by people like Sarphati who found their inspiration in Paris. 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Amsterdam's coat of arms. The three crosses are thought to suggest the three plagues which have affected the city: flood, fire, and pestilence.

At the end of the 19th century the Industrial Revolution reached Amsterdam. The Amsterdam-Rijn kanaal was dug to give Amsterdam a direct connection to the Rhine and the Noordzee kanaal to give the port a connection with the North Sea. Both projects improved communication with the rest of Europe and the world dramatically. They gave the economy a big boost. Source: http://nl. ... The Industrial Revolution is the name given to the massive social, economic and technological change in 18th century and 19th century Great Britain. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ...

The end of the 19th century is sometimes called Amsterdam's second Golden Age. New museums, the Centraal Station and the Concertgebouw were built. Also built was the Stelling van Amsterdam, a unique ring of 42 forts and land that could be inundated to defend the city against an attack. Amsterdam's population grew significantly during this period. Categories: Stub ... The Concertgebouw is a concert hall in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. ... Stelling van Amsterdam is the name (in Dutch) given to a ring of fortifications around Amsterdam. ...

20th century

During World War I, the Netherlands remained neutral, but Amsterdam suffered the effects of the war when food became scarce. When working class women started to plunder a ship with army supplies, the military was brought in. Workers joined their wives in the plundering and the soldiers opened fire on them. Six people were killed and almost 100 were wounded. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ...

In 1932 a dike separating the Zuider Zee from the North Sea, the Afsluitdijk, was completed. The Zuider Zee was no more. The new lake behind the dyke was called IJsselmeer. For the first time in its history Amsterdam had no open communication with the sea. A dyke (or dike) is a stone or earthen wall constructed as a defence or as a boundary. ... Landsat photo The Zuider Zee (Dutch: Zuiderzee, pronounced ZIGH-der-zee) was a former shallow inlet of the North Sea in the northwest of the Netherlands, extending about 100 km inland and at most 50 km wide, with an overall depth of about 4 to 5 meters and a coastline... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... Afsluitdijk The Afsluitdijk (Closure-dike) is a major dam in the Netherlands, constructed between 1927 and 1933 and running from Den Oever on Wieringen in North Holland province, to the village of Zurich (mun. ... IJsselmeer seen from space The IJsselmeer (or Lake IJssel) is a shallow lake of some 1250 km² in the central Netherlands bordering the provinces of Flevoland, North Holland and Friesland, with an average depth of 5 to 6 m. ...

Statue of Anne Frank

During World War II, German troops occupied the city. More than 100,000 Jews were deported, famously including Anne Frank, and almost completely wiping out the Jewish community. Before the war, Amsterdam was the world's center for the diamond trade. Since this trade was mostly in the hands of Jewish businessmen and craftsmen, the diamond trade essentially disappeared. Download high resolution version (480x640, 193 KB)Statue of Anne Frank in Amsterdam. ... Download high resolution version (480x640, 193 KB)Statue of Anne Frank in Amsterdam. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Cover of the diarys Definitive Edition, 1995. ...

The cultural revolution of the 1960s and 1970s made Amsterdam the magisch centrum (magical centre) of Europe. The use of soft drugs was tolerated and this policy made the city a popular destination for hippies. Squatting became widespread. Riots and clashes with the police were frequent. Hippies (singular hippie or sometimes hippy) were members of the 1960s counterculture movement who adopted a communal or nomadic lifestyle, renounced corporate nationalism and the Vietnam War, embraced aspects of Buddhism, Hinduism, and/or Native American religious culture, and were otherwise at odds with traditional middle class Western values. ... The word squat has different meanings: Squatting is also a term for inhabiting unused land without title, especially in a city. ...

Amsterdam started the 1980s in an explosive manner. In 1980, while Queen Beatrix's coronation was being held in the New Church on Dam square, protesters outside the church fought with the police in protest against government policies. Their slogan was 'Geen woning, geen kroning' (No house, no coronation). The mayor and city council eventually had to bring in the military to get the situation under control. During this decade the number of foreign immigrants, primarily from Suriname, Turkey and Morocco grew strongly. This led to an exodus of people to the 'growth cities' of Purmerend, Almere and other cities near Amsterdam. However, neighbourhoods like the Pijp and the Jordaan, which had previously been working class, became sought places of residence for the newly wealthy Yuppies and students. Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands reads her countrys Speech from the Throne. ... Nieuwe Kerk is a landmark church in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. ... Purmerend (population: 75,831 in 2004) is a town in the north-western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. ... Almere is a municipality in the central Netherlands, a polder reclaimed from IJsselmeer . ... Yuppie, short for Young Urban Professional, describes a demographic of people generally between their late twenties and early thirties. ...

In 1992, an El Al cargo plane crashed in the Bijlmermeer in Amsterdam Zuidoost. This disaster, called the 'Bijlmerramp, caused the death of at least 43 people. 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Categories: Airline stubs | Companies of Israel | Transportation in Israel | Airlines of Israel ... Amsterdam Zuidoost is one of the 15 boroughs (stadsdelen) of de city of Amsterdam, that consists of the suburbs Bijlmermeer and Gaasperdam and the village Driemond. ... The Bijlmerramp (in English: Bijlmer disaster) was an airplane crash. ...

The beginning of the new millennium brought economic hardships to Amsterdam. Unemployment grew strongly. The foreign immigrants who had come to the city two decades before brought their own problems, culminating in the killing of Dutch film-maker Theo van Gogh. Theo van Gogh Theo van Gogh (July 23, 1957 – November 2, 2004) was a controversial Dutch film director, television producer, publicist and actor. ...

Cultural life

In the 15th and 16th century cultural life in Amsterdam consisted mainly of festivals. During the later part of the 16th century Amsterdams Rederijkerskamer (Chamber of Rhetoric) organized contests between different Chambers in the reading of poetry and drama. In 1638 Amsterdam got it's first theatre. Ballet performances were given in this theatre as early as 1642. In the 18th century French theatre became popular. Opera could be seen in Amsterdam from 1677, first only Italian and French operas, but in the 18th century German operas. In the 19th century popular culture was centered around the Nes area in Amsterdam (mainly vaudeville and musichall). The metronome, one of the most important advances in European classical music was invented here in 1812 by Dietrich Nikolaus Winkel. At the end of this century the Rijksmuseum and Gemeentelijk Museum (http://users.skynet.be/museum.melle/) were built. In 1888 the Concertgebouworkest was established. With the 20th century came cinema, radio and television. Though the studios are in Hilversum and Aalsmeer, Amsterdams influence on programming is very strong. After WWII popular culture became the dominant culteral phenomenon in Amsterdam. (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... A festival or fest is an event, usually staged by a local community, which centers on some theme, sometimes on some unique aspect of the community. ... Bust of Homer, one of the earliest European poets, in the British Museum Poetry (ancient Greek: ποιεω (poieo) = I create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... Drama is a term generally used to refer to a literary form involving parts written for actors to perform. ... Events March 29 - Swedish colonists establish first settlement in Delaware, called New Sweden. ... Theatre is that branch of the performing arts concerned with acting out stories in front of an audience using combinations of speech, gesture, music, dance, sound and spectacle — indeed any one or more elements of the other performing arts. ... A performance of The Nutcracker ballet Ballet is the name given to a specific dance form and technique. ... Events January 4 - Charles I attempts to arrest five leading members of the Long Parliament, but they escape. ... The foyer of Charles Garniers Opéra, Paris, opened 1875 Opera is an art form consisting of a dramatic stage performance set to music. ... Events First performance of Racines tragedy, Phèdre Sarah Churchill marries John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough Battle of Cassel, Philippe I of Orléans defeats William of Orange Mary II of England marries William of Orange English Statute of frauds is passed into law Battle of Landskrona Elias... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nes is: A municipality in the county of Akershus in Norway, see Nes, Akershus. ... Vaudeville is a style of theater, also known as variety, which flourished in North America from the 1880s through the 1920s. ... A mechanical wind-up metronome in motion A metronome is a device that produces a strict rhythm. ... Classical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, referring to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of, European art, ecclesiastical and concert music, particularly between 1000 and 1900. ... 1812 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Dietrich Nikolaus Winkel (1780 - 1826) Dietrich Winkel was born in Amsterdam in 1780. ... The Rijksmuseum Rembrandt van Rijn: The Nightwatch 1642 Johannes Vermeer: Milkmaid 1658-1660 The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands, located in Amsterdam. ... The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest in Dutch) is the best known and most respected orchestra in the Netherlands, and is generally considered to be among the worlds finest. ... Hilversum is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands. ... Aalsmeer is a town in the north-western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. ... German soldiers at the Battle of Stalingrad World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the worlds nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. ...