Beneath our feet lie eleven million wooden poles. These poles support much of Amsterdam. We are standing at Ka Lappenbrug. This bridge is part of the intricate network of 1281 bridges in Amsterdam. That is four times more than Venice.
Amsterdam is known for its canals called Grachten. They total around 100km. The city has more canals than Venice. Ka Lappenbrug is one of those many bridges that help you cross the water.
Amsterdam’s nickname is Mokum. It is from the Yiddish word for safe place. This city was a haven for European Jews during the Holocaust. The city’s original name was Amstelredam. It was named for its location on the Amstel river.
Amsterdam is below sea level. The ground is wet because of this fact. Soft clay soil can shift. The wooden poles keep buildings from moving and causing damage. Some canal houses tilt slightly. They have earned the nickname Dancing Houses. Most old houses are supported by ten poles. New houses use concrete poles.
Amsterdam has the smallest house in Europe. It is just 2.02 meters wide. Many narrow and tall buildings front the canals. Canal-front buildings were taxed based on their width. People built narrow homes to pay less tax.
Amsterdam is a bicycle city. There are four times more bikes than cars. That equals about 881000 bikes. Every year 12000 to 15000 bikes end up in the canals. Bike fishing is a real job here.
Amsterdam has the only floating flower market. Traders used barges to bring flowers. Now the market sits on fixed barges. Visit the flower market from Monday to Saturday.
Amsterdam has over 90 museums. This gives it the highest museum density in the world. Visit the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. Check out the Cat Cabinet too. It is a museum all about cats.
Amsterdam has more than 160 coffeeshops. They sell coffee, tea and cannabis. Stricter policies have decreased the number of coffeeshops. For example, they cannot sell alcohol.
Heineken was founded in Amsterdam. Gerard Adriaan Heineken first brewed it in 1873. You can visit the Heineken Experience.
Amsterdam is exciting. It is a hub of culture, politics and art. The canals and Red Light District are famous. But there are many other interesting facts about Amsterdam.
So next time you cross Ka Lappenbrug. Remember you are walking across a piece of Amsterdam’s amazing story.