Amsterdam

AMSTERD AM The name Amstelledamme means a dam on the Amstel river.

It is thought that the considerations of the layout were purely practical and defensive rather than ornamental.

“God built the world, but the Dutch built Holland.

 Amsterdam, the !etherlands" nominal nominal capital, is one of #urope"s most interesting and pictures$ue cities. It has a broad spectrum of recreational and cultural . located in !orth%&est #urope between Germany in the east, 'elgium in the south, and the !orth (ea in the north and west.

HISTORY/ ORIGINS OF SETTLEMENT  Amsterdam was founded founded as a fishing fishing village village around the )*th century The origins of the city lie in the )*th century, when fisherman living along the ban+s of the River Amstel built a bridge across the waterway near the I, then a large saltwater inlet. &ooden loc+s under the bridge served as a dam- protecting the village from the rising I%waters, which often flooded the early settlement. settlement. The mouth of the river r iver Amstel, Amstel, where the Damar+ now is, formed a natural harbour, which became important for trading-exchange from trading-exchange from the larger dogeship into the smaller ships that sailed the merchandise deeper into the hinterland.

How Economy boosted, how city expanded. In !"# $ the %ing granted levy on taxes.  Amsterdam"s economy floated on beer and herring. In )* the city was awarded a monopoly on the import of beer from Hamburg. This gave Amsterdam a valuable competitive advantage. 'altic countries had traditionally dominated the herring trade.

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The I waterway 1pronounced2 "eye"3 was still an estuary- in it was a port directly connected to Damra+. 4cean%going vessels could sail right into the city, up to what is today Dam ($uare. 'ac+ then, the Dam was covered in small houses, with a medieval, gothic city hall. The !ew 5hurch 1as opposed to the 4ld 5hurch built a century earlier in )663 was also surrounded by clusters of houses.

 Amsterdam circa )/00, before the semi%circular ring of canals was added.

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Dam ($uare, Amsterdam as it appeared c. )786%)866

5lustered houses, parallel streets of Amsterdam.

And the city limits were defned by the Sinel c!n!l t" the west# !nd the $l"%eniersb&rw!l 'w!ll( t" the e!st)

 Amsterdam in )908, with the first section of canal ring added.

The semi%circle on the south side of the I&, originally the estuary of the Amstel to the :uider;ee 1(outh sea3, nowadays canalised. Going east from 5entral (tation, the railway passes the artificial islands of the redeveloped Eastern 'oc%lands. !orth of the I is mainly housing, although a ma