Here stands villa Hertenduin. But what stories do these walls hold? Amsterdam is known for its canals, bridges and rich history. Villa Hertenduin may not be as famous as the Anne Frank House. Amsterdam became a significant trading center. This happened during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. Modern-day Capitalism was born from stock exchanges and joint ventures.
Amsterdam has a motto. It says heroic, determined and merciful. The symbol of Amsterdam features three crosses. One explanation is that they stand for St. Andrew. He was a fisherman. He was tortured on a cross shaped like an X. This happened in the first century. The symbol dates back to 1505. At that time, Amsterdam was a fishing town.
Amsterdam is built on many poles. It is one of the most interesting facts about Amsterdam. The city is built on eleven million poles. Amsterdam is a meter below sea level. Amsterdam Centraal train station needs 9000 poles. A normal house needs only 10. Wooden poles of 15-20 meters are placed in a sandy layer. This layer is around 11 meters deep.
Many people visit Amsterdam. Around 14 million tourists come each year. About 4.5 million are Dutch tourists. More than 9.5 million are foreign visitors. All of this in a city with around 821000 inhabitants.
Amsterdam has many canals. There are 165 canals. In total, they stretch over 100 kilometers. The city sits on 90 small islands. The most important canals are Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht. They were created in the 17th century. This was during the Dutch Golden Age. You can find more than 1550 monumental buildings alongside these canals.
Amsterdam loves bikes. There are over 1 million bicycles in Amsterdam. However, there are only around 821000 people. Every year, about 100000 bikes get stolen. Moreover, 25000 bikes are thrown or disappear into the canals. A special boat picks out only 8000 to 10000.
Amsterdam boasts many bars and cafes. There are around 1515 bars and cafes. If you want to relax, visit one of the 40 parks. You can find 8 windmills still standing in Amsterdam. There are 38 markets. They range from flower markets to antique markets. Amsterdam has 55 theatres and concert halls. Around 16000 plays and concerts happen each year.
Many Amsterdammers use their bikes daily. About 63% ride their bikes every day. The oldest house is at the Begijnhof. It has a wooden facade. The facade dates back to 1475. Amsterdam has a high concentration of museums. It has the most museums per square meter of all cities.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has a museum. It is the only airport in the world with a museum. You can find it behind passport control. Entry is free. There are more than 300 coffee shops in Amsterdam. You can buy up to 5 grams of soft drugs. Soft drugs are not legal but tolerated. Hard drugs are illegal.
The smallest house in Europe is at Oude Hoogstraat 22. It is only 2.02 meters wide. It is six meters long. The main shopping street is Kalverstraat. It has existed for over 600 years. Until 1629, there was a market selling cows and calves. Kalveren means calves. So, it is literally the calves street.
Amsterdam’s nickname is Mokum. It comes from the Hebrew word makan. This means city. The Munttoren is part of the medieval city wall. Coins were minted there in the 17th century. Munt means coin. Amsterdam has many carillons. You can find eight of them in Amsterdam. Most date back to the Golden Age.
The widest house is at Kloveniersburgwal 29. It is 22 meters wide. The wealthy Trip brothers built it in 1660. It is named the Trippenhuis. The monument on Dam Square was renovated by the Germans after the war. Cuttings from the Anne Frank tree have been sent to many cities. These include The Hague and New York.
De Bijenkorf started as a small shop in 1870. The first warehouse was built between 1911 and 1914. It is located at Dam Square. The Kalverstraat is the most visited shopping street in the Netherlands. Tram number 5 is the busiest tram line in Amsterdam. You can find swarms of parakeets in the Vondelpark. More than 4000 parakeets live here. They are not native. They were brought here as pets. Some escaped and liked Amsterdam.
Villa Hertenduin stands as a testament to Amsterdam’s rich tapestry. It is a blend of history, culture and quirky facts.