ROTTERDAM
Country: Netherlands
Coordinates: 51° 55' 51" N
04° 28' 45" E
Area: 319 km2
Population: 588 718
Density of Population: 2 824/km2
Website: www.rotterdam.nl
Mayor: Ahmed Aboutaleb
Rotterdam is the second biggest Dutch city (right after Amsterdam) and the biggest European port which was, until recently, the busiest one in the world. Only the port in Shanghai surpasses it as far as the volume of (un)loaded containers and the number of oil ships are concerned. Rotterdam is the hail port for 500 marine lines, keeping in touch with 1000 other ports. It is the most important port for oil, chemical products, container transportation, iron ore, coal and food. All big shipping companies have their offices in Rotterdam.
The city spreads out on the banks of the Nieuwe Maas River, its delta is formed by the Rheine River and the Meuse River. The name of Rotterdam is derived from a dam on a small river which, from the north right in the city centre, flows into the Nieuwe Maas River.
Municipal privileges were granted to Rotterdam by Willem IV. of the Netherlands in 1340. The city experienced its biggest growth (port as well as population) after finishing of Nieuwe Waterweg in 1872.
In 1940 Rotterdam was bombarded by the German Luftwaffe. The city centre was almost completely destroyed and so only small parts of the old town have been preserved until today.
Beautiful panoramatic view of the whole Rotterdam is offered by an observation tower called Euromast & Space Tower in the shape of a ship mast. The tower is 185 metres high and the top of it is the highest point in the Netherlands.
No tourist visiting Rotterdam should definitely miss the port itself. There are more sight-seeing routes, on the ground or on the sea. One of the sight-seeing routes is more than one hundred kilometres long and offers all aspects of the massive port, including port dams and depositories, futuristic grain silos, plenty of port technologies, oil refineries and power stations. Besides numerous water ways and docks, the other, different side of the port includes a picturesque small town full of gardens which was built up for port workers and/or coastal beach.
Tourists are usually also attracted by the modern Erasmos` Bridge connecting the north and the south of Rotterdam.
This metropolis of architecture has an excellent reputation in the filed of architecture and education. The Berlage Institute is equipped with up-to-date laboratories specialized in architecture and the Netherlands Architecture Institute is open for the public, being a venue of great exhibitions of architecture and urban planning.
Architectonically, Rotterdam and its skyscrapers come up to cities like Frankfurt, Warszaw and Paris. Many projects reaching giant heights are currently in the course of construction. Rotterdam is also famous for its Kubuswoningen – cuboid houses built by the architect Piet Blom in 1984.
The Erasmus University specializes in research and education in the field of management and economics. It is situated in the eastern part of the city and surrounded by transnational companies.
There are many museums in Rotterdam. The most significant ones include Boijmans-van Beuningen with a unique collection of paintings and sculptures from different periods from the 14th century to the present; then Volkenkundig Museum, KunstHal, Maritiem Museum and Brandweermuseum.
Other attractions include Museum of History, Tax Museum, Dubbelde and Palmboom.
In Leuvehane there is the Prince Hendrik`s Marine Museum with plenty of ships, boats, port cranes and archaeological sea artefacts.
