Rotterdam is a port city in South Holland. There are both old and
new districts and a large number of architectural sights in general.
The city is the second largest in the country and has a strong
multicultural character.
Rotterdam was founded in 1230. In
the following centuries the city was a rich trading town. It became
famous in the 15th century thanks to the humanist Erasmus of
Rotterdam.
In 1853 the Nieuwe Waterweg was built and suddenly
Rotterdam was connected to the whole world. The city now developed
rapidly into one of the largest ports in the world. On May 14, 1940,
German fighter-bombers destroyed almost the entire city center.
After the war, reconstruction began at the drawing board. Today the
city is futuristic and lively in many places, but not overcrowded.
You meet people from all over the world here and because new quirky
buildings are constantly being built, Rotterdam is getting younger
instead of older.
In the 90s, Rotterdam was the birthplace
and stronghold of hardcore and gabba (gabber). This is fast, wild
techno music. Today there are still relics of it that are played in
some clubs.
According to the latest surveys, Rotterdam is the
7th largest port in the world after Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai,
Shenzhen (China), Pusan (South Korea) and Taiwan. Of course there is
much more to see and experience than the port. Whether modern or
historical, party or relaxation - there is something for everyone
here.
Rotterdam includes, among other things, the Hoek van
Holland district and the outer port of Europoort.
Rotterdam Airport
The relatively small Rotterdam Airport (IATA:
RTM) is located about eight kilometers northwest of the city center.
There are no connections to Germany. The low-cost subsidiary of
AirFrance-KLM transavia connects Rotterdam seasonally with Innsbruck,
Klagenfurt and Salzburg. There are also connections to other European
and hot water destinations (as of June 2022).
The airport is
connected to the main train station by bus line 33. This runs every 15
minutes during the day. The bus takes about 20 minutes for the route.
The fare for a single ticket is €3. Users of the OV chip card are
charged a maximum of €1.74 for this journey (as of June 2015).
Alternatively, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (IATA: AMS) offers numerous
international connections for arrival. Schiphol is well connected to the
Dutch rail network. There are many direct connections to Rotterdam. The
journey time is a maximum of 35 minutes on the slowest intercity
connection.
By train
Rotterdam Centraal: From northern Germany
you travel via Amersfoort, from Aachen via Heerlen and Utrecht and from
southern Germany and Austria either via Mönchengladbach and Venlo or
with the ICE from Frankfurt via Cologne and Düsseldorf with a change in
Utrecht. From Switzerland there are also connections via Brussels-Midi
to Rotterdam. There are direct connections to most major Dutch cities,
with the exception of Maastricht. In addition, Rotterdam is served by
the Thalys from Paris.
Hoek van Holland, the stops at Strand and
Haven are served in regional traffic from Rotterdam Centraal station.
In the street
Rotterdam is well connected to the road network
with its ring road, even if it is often congested.
from Gouda via the
Rijksweg A20
from Antwerp via the Rijksweg A16
from Amsterdam via
the A4 and A13
Because of the heavy traffic and parking problems,
it makes sense to take one of the many P+R stations. For example, you
can park cheaply at the metro station Rotterdam Alexander. In 10-15
minutes you are in the city center by metro.
By boat
There are
ferry connections England - Hook of Holland
Rotterdam is accessible
for sea shipping and inland shipping. Pleasure boats can dock.
The
Cruise Port Rotterdam is located near the city center.
In general, public transport in Rotterdam is well developed through
the city's own transport company RET (http://www.ret.nl).
Since
single tickets are relatively expensive, a one-way ticket valid for one
hour costs €3 (as of June 2015), the "OV-chipkaart" is ideal for those
who want to use public transport or the train more often in the
Netherlands " (English OV chip card, where OV stands for openbaar
vervoer "public transport"). With this, a maximum of €1.74 is debited
for a single trip with public transport in the Rotterdam tariff area. A
special feature of the OV-chipkaart is that the more often you use it
within a day, the fare for the individual routes decreases. The maximum
fare for the day ticket, €8 (as of March 2019), will be deducted per
day.
There are also season tickets for one (13 €), two or three
days.
For a small surcharge, you can also purchase the Rotterdam
Welcome Card, which, in addition to using Rotterdam public transport,
also offers a 25 percent discount on entrance fees to museums and the
sights of Rotterdam. There are other discounts for selected restaurants,
hotels and nightclubs included in this card.
The historic tram
line 10 only runs in summer. It is suitable for a city tour. The ticket
is valid all day and costs €7. You pay the driver.
Of course,
crossing Rotterdam by bike is recommended.
Bicycle rental ... there
are several providers
at Rotterdam Central Station and City Rent,
Pompenburg 449
Donkey Republic
OV-fiets, bicycles can be rented
with the OV-chipkaart
Taxi St Job, (010) 425 70 00
Disabled
parking spaces,
https://www.toegankelijkrotterdam.nl
Waterbus,
http://www.waterbus.nl
Water Taxi Rotterdam,
http://www.watertaxirotterdam.nl
The Fast Ferry runs i.a.
Hook of Holland on; although the ferry is operated by RET, the
OV-chipkaart is not valid.
Delfshaven
In this district of Rotterdam you will find the “old”
Holland. This place used to be the outer port of the city of Delft.
There is a canal with beautiful gabled houses, a windmill and the former
city history museum “De Dubbelde Palmboom”. In 1365 the Delfshavense
Schie was dug, creating a connection to the sea. In the small town of
Delfshaven, money was then made with herring fishing, whaling,
shipbuilding and the distilling of Jenever.
Piet Heyn was born
here on November 25, 1577. He was one of the most outstanding Dutch
privateers. In 1628 he captured the Spanish "silver fleet" ten miles
east of Havana, making him a folk hero of the Netherlands. His loot was
estimated at 12 million guilders, which corresponds to around one
billion euros today. His birthplace is in the Piet Heynstraat and his
statue is in the Achterhaven.
Furthermore, the Pilgrim Fathers
(Pilgrim Fathers) started from here to America. They first went to
England on the ship "Speedwell", where they were then accompanied by the
"Mayflower" and founded the settlement of Plymouth in America.
The Pelgrim brewery in the center of Delfshaven is a reminder that the
Pilgrim Fathers began their journey to the promised land of America in
Rotterdam. Like pilgrims, they embarked on the great adventure of
foreigners. Some of them may have asked for a blessing in the pilgrim
church and for a last beer in the brewery next door. Pilgrim beer is
still served here today.
Round trip to Delfshaven
Getting
there: Starting from the Erasmus Bridge (NW end), go to the Leuvehaven
metro station and then turn left into the wide Vasteland-Strasse. Follow
this until it becomes Westzeedijk after the roundabout at Parkhaven. In
between, you pass a park on the left at the level of the clinic, which
is worth a detour, a small castle. The Euromast TV tower invites
visitors to linger. Follow the street Westzeedijk until the street
Oostkousdijk turns right at a pedestrian traffic light. This, in turn,
merges into Havenstraat and, after crossing the Achterhaven street,
reaches Erfbrug, which can be seen as the starting point for exploring
Delfshaven.
Return: Starting from the Erfbrug site, follow the Nieuwe
Binnenweg until the street crosses the Eendrachtsplein. Turn right onto
this road, straight ahead on the Westersingel road, until you reach
Vasteland from the way there (left) to come right back to the starting
point of the Erasmus Bridge.
Including the visit of Delfshaven, you
should plan good feet and about 3 hours for this excursion.
Rotterdam suffered badly during World War II, so don't expect a
beautiful, historical cityscape. Instead, you will find numerous modern
buildings in the center.
One of the most famous buildings is the
market hall. Inside there are many small shops, restaurants and cafes.
The walls are painted with plants and fruits. Around the hall are
apartments whose residents can look through windows into the hall.
The Kubushaus is located opposite the market hall. These are cubes
placed on top, standing on a bridge. People live in most of the cubes,
one can be visited.
Another landmark is the Erasmus Bridge over the
Meuse. The cable-stayed bridge has a white, curved pylon and is
therefore called De Zwaan (= the swan).
The Euromast is Rotterdam's
television tower (see activities).
Rotterdam was an important port for emigrants to the United States.
The long journey across the Atlantic began for her at the Hotel New
York. It is one of the few surviving old buildings in Rotterdam and
still houses a hotel and restaurant (see Accommodation). Right next to
it, the Lost Luggage Depot, which represents a shelf with lost
suitcases, is a reminder of the emigration.
Around the old Hotel New
York, a number of modern high-rise buildings have been built in recent
years, which form a beautiful skyline with the neighboring Erasmus
Bridge and the hotel.
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Museumpark 18-20 (lines A, B or C
metro station: Eendrachtsplein, from the train station: tram 7
(direction Willemsplein) or line 4 (direction Marconiplein) to
Eendrachtsplein). Tel.: +31 10 441 94 00, fax: +31 10 436 05 00, email:
info@boijmans.nl wikipediacommonsfacebooktwitteryoutube. In the museum
you will find works by the old masters such as Bruegel, Hieronymus
Bosch, Albrecht Dürer the Elder. Ä., but also Monet, Sisley, Renoir,
Degas, Cézanne, van Goch, Feininger, Picasso, Kandinsky, Magritte, Dali
and others. m. There is also an exhibition on design and applied art.
Feature: wheelchair accessible. Open: Tue-Sun 11am-5pm. Price: €15,
students €7.50, young people under 18 and children have free entry.
Accepted payment methods: Museumkaart.
Maritime Museum, Leuvehaven
50, Leuvehaven 1 (metro station: Leuvehaven or Beurs). Tel.: +31 10
4048072, Fax: +31 10 413 73 42. . The museum, which consists of various
houses and outdoor facilities, offers a lot and is called the
"three-generation museum". Take one of the combined tickets offered.
Open: Tue-Fri 10am-5pm and Sat-Sun 11am-5pm. Price: Admission (Port
Museum only) €10, example of a combined ticket: adults €15.80, €9.50
(children 4 to 15). Accepted payment methods: Museumkaart.
Kunsthal,
Westzeedijk 341 (metro: Eendrachtsplein). Tel.: +31 10 440 03 00, fax:
+31 10 43 67 152, email: communicatie@kunsthal.nl . Numerous changing
exhibitions on 3300 m² throughout the year. The building was designed by
OMA (Rem Koolhaas / Fuminori Hoshino). Open: Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun
11am-5pm. Price: adults €12, children 6-18 years €2, children under 6
free. Accepted payment methods: Museumkaart.
Museum Rotterdam
Timmerhuis (Maritiem Museum Rotterdam), Rodezand 26, Leuvehaven 1 (metro
station: Stadhuis or Beurs). Tel.: +31 10 2176750, email:
info@museumrotterdam.nl. Museum of the city's history with changing
exhibitions. Open: Tue-Sun 11am-5pm. Price: Adults €7.50, children from
4 to 17 years €2.50, children under 4 years free, students and groups of
15 or more people €3.75 each, free with Rotterdam Pass. Accepted payment
methods: Museumkaart.
Museum Rotterdam '40-'45 Nu (Maritiem Museum
Rotterdam), Coolhaven 375, Leuvehaven 1 (metro station: Coolhaven).
Tel.: +31 10 4848931, email: info@museumrotterdam.nl. Museum of the
city's history during World War II and the subsequent reconstruction.
Open: Mon-Fri outside the school holidays only for school classes and
groups of 15 or more by prior arrangement 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Tue-Fri
during the school holidays, Sun and public holidays for everyone 11:00
a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Price: Adults €7.50, children from 4 to 17 years €2.50,
children under 4 years free, students and groups of 15 or more people
€3.75 each, free with Rotterdam Pass. Accepted payment methods:
Museumkaart.
Arboretum Trompenburg Botanical Garden, Honingerdijk 86.
Tel.: +31 10 233 0166.
Belasting en Douane Museum (Belasting & Douane
Museum), Parklaan 14-16, 3016 BB Rotterdam (Metro to Leuvehaven). Tel.:
+31 88 1514900, fax: +31 88 1514925, email: info@bdmuseum.nl .
Everything about the origin of customs duties, taxes and the tricks of
tax evaders. Feature: wheelchair accessible. Open: Tue–Sun 11:00
a.m.–5:00 p.m., Easter Sunday, April 30th, Whitsunday, December 25th.
and 01.01. closed. Price: adults €5.50, young people aged 13-18,
students, seniors over 65, groups of 10 or more people: €3.50, children
under 12 years of age: free entry. Accepted payment methods:
Museumkaart.
Marina Museum, Wijnhaven 7-13. Tel: +31 (0)10 412 96 00
wikipediacommons. Accepted payment methods: Museumkaart.
Wereldmuseum
(Volkerkundemuseum), Willemskade 25, 3016 DM Rotterdam, Willemskade 25A.
Tel: +31 10 270 7172 . The exhibits are mostly from the period 1850-1920
from all parts of the world, brought together by Dutch merchants and
sailors. Open: Tue-Sun 10:30-17:30. Price: adults €15 incl. audio guide.
Accepted payment methods: Museumkaart.
Netherlands Architectural
Institute (Nederlands Architectuurinstituut)
The seven remaining windmills can definitely be visited as they turn.
A blue flag also indicates whether the mill is open to visitors.
Molen De Ster and De Lelie, Plaszoom (Metro: Voorschoterlaan. From there
10 minutes walk). The Star and Lily windmills were built in 1777 and
1829. They are very handsomely situated on the side of the Kralingse
Plas lake. Open: every 2nd Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
De Prinsenmolen, Prinsenmolenpad, Prinsemolenpad 72 (tram 4 → Lommerijk.
5 minutes walk along Prins Bernardkade to Prinsenmolenpad. Then about 10
minutes more) . The mill from 1648 worked until 1966 to drain the
polder. Nice walk along the Bergse Voorplas lake. Open: No admission.
De Vier Winden, Terbregse Rechter Rottekade (From the Prinsenmolen 10
minutes further along the Rotte river) . The mill was built in 1776 and
ground grain until 1964. In a small shop you can still buy old grain
products. Open: No admission.
De Speelman, Overschiese Kleiweg
(Reachable by bike or car) . De Speelman was built in 1712 and
originally stood at a different location. Open: when it rotates.
De
Zandweg, Kromme Zandweg (From Maashaven metro station take line 2
towards Charlois) . De Zandweg dates from 1723. Open: when the mill is
turning.
De Distilleerketel, Voorhaven 210, Voorhaven 134 (Metro:
Delfshaven) . De Distilleerketel ('the Distillers' Kettle) was rebuilt
after the mill was destroyed in World War II. It was formerly used as a
malt mill, but today grain is ground there, which you can also buy.
Open: weekends.
Rotterdam cheap
If you want to see the sights
of Rotterdam and still save money, the Rotterdam Welcome Card is a good
choice. It offers a 25% discount at the sights and museums of Rotterdam.
It also includes free use of public transport in Rotterdam.
This walking tour combines the most important sights of modern
Rotterdam. You can see the skyline, the huge docks and the futuristic
architecture. The hike takes about 2 hours without the harbor tour.
You start at metro station Beurs/Churchillplein. The 8 m high
sculpture called Cascade comes from Atelier Van Lieshout and makes it
easy to see the connection with the stock exchange and the crude oil
spot market. We continue towards Schiedamsedijk. The Maritime Museum is
on the left. Ship engines and boats can be seen in the outdoor area, but
you have to do without explanations. In front of the museum is the Walk
of Fame. Just like in Hollywood, famous stars have left their handprints
or footprints in the concrete here. Continue in the direction of the
Maas past the IMAX cinema to the Erasmusbrug (Erasmus Bridge). The
bridge has been the new symbol of Rotterdam since 1996. The broken
pillar earned her the nickname "de Zwaan" (the swan). To the right of
the bridge is the Spido pier, where you can start the harbor tour. Back
from the tour, continue over the Erasmus Bridge. The asphalt on the
footpath is jet black and glitters in the sun. It looks like walking
across a starry sky. On the right side is the magnificent skyline and on
the left side of the bridge the endlessly huge docks. The southern part
of the bridge can be folded up. This is not done with a cable pull, as
one might expect from a cable bridge, but with four hydraulic cylinders
hidden in the foundation.
On the other side of the Maas, turn right
onto Wilhelminakade, past the new Cruise Terminal. Follow the road to
the end of the peninsula. This is where the Hotel New York is located.
From 1873 to 1971 the America steamers with their numerous emigrants
departed from the Wilhelmina Pier. The golden lettering on the last
house is a reminder of this.
After this short excursion into the
history of Rotterdam, you return to the Erasmus Bridge on the
Wilhelminakade, cross the street coming from the bridge onto the
Wilhelminaplein. Turn left onto the Stieltjesstraat. One now comes to
the point where in the years 1942/43 numerous Rotterdam children were
deported to the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Sobibor. A plaque
today commemorates this bad part of the city's history. Then you cross a
newer drawbridge and come to the Koninginnebrug, which you cross again
to the left. The green bridge opposite is the De Hef Konigshavenbrug,
called "de Hef". It served as a railway bridge until 1993. The middle
section could be raised to make room for the passing ships. With the new
construction of the southern connection, where the railway line runs
through a tunnel, the bridge became superfluous.
Continue to the
right via the Prins Hendrik Kade and left along the Brugweg via the
Willemsbrug. Then turn right via Verlengde Willemsbrug towards Blaak
metro station. The Kubus Woning (cube apartments) are located there.
Architect Piet Blom put lots of cubes on top and built apartments into
them. One cube can be visited, and you can stay overnight in the others
because the youth hostel has been located there since 2009.
Across the large square you now go to the Laurenskerk. The church tower
has no top because in the Middle Ages the wood was used for
shipbuilding. Next to the church in a small park is the monument to
Erasmus of Rotterdam.
Don't miss a visit to the huge market hall,
which cannot be overlooked from the Cube Houses and the Great Church. It
is a feast for the eyes to take in the tastefully prepared goods from
fish to exotic spices to chocolate. The beautiful murals do the rest.
This is the end of the tour. Now you can indulge in some shopping on
the Hoogstraat, or head back towards the Metro, cross the main street
and go down an inconspicuous alley behind the cube-shaped apartments to
get to the Oude Haven. There you can relax in one of the numerous pubs
after the long march.
Harbour Cruise
Spido is the best address
for a tour of the port. The one-way harbor cruise operates year-round,
takes approximately 75 minutes, and costs €9.50 for adults and €5.80 for
children aged 4-11. In the summer months of July and August there are
also extensive round trips, summer evening tours and day trips to the
Europoort and the Delta Works. The rides are commented on in 6
languages, including German and English. Departure is at Willemsplein
85, at the foot of the Erasmus Bridge.
July-October, historic
tram line 10 from Willemsplein
Euromast, Parkhaven 20. Tel: +31
10-436 48 11 wikipediacommonsfacebookinstagramtwitter. The tower is 185
m high. When it was built in 1960, it was 101 m high. In 1970, the Space
Tower was placed on its top, with a Euroscope observation gondola going
up. There is a restaurant at 100 m altitude, there are also two suites
for overnight stays. Open: Apr-Sept from 9:30 am, Oct-Mar from 10:00 am.
Price: Admission adults 9.50
Fishing bike
Instead of buying a
new bike, you can fish for a bike (fietsen fish) in the canal. You can
rent the right hook, for example, in the literature café Huis der
Zotheid (which roughly translates to “House of Madness”) for around €8
per hour.
A simple rule of thumb applies: the closer you get to the train
station, the more expensive it gets. The Nieuwe Binneweg and the market
at Blaak are therefore best suited for bargain hunters.
The
Nieuwe Binnenweg is the scene mile of Rotterdam. It starts in Delfshaven
and ends at the Eendrachtsplein. The most interesting shops can be found
on the Saftlevenstraat, which can be reached via the Dijkzicht metro
station. Here you will find alternative clothes, CDs and of course
coffee shops. Lovers of brightly colored bags from the cult brand Kitsch
Kitchen will find what they are looking for at Fabricati (No. 72) and
Movimento (No. 78). There are hardcore and gabber CDs at
MidTown-Records, for goths there is Black Widow (No. 13) with various
black clothes, high-percentage ones are available in Dranken Discount,
and in the Volume Markt (No. 30) you can get provisions for buy the
sightseeing.
West Kruiskade: There are Asian restaurants and a
supermarket with household goods and Asian groceries.
Lijnbaan is the
pedestrian street in the city center. Shops of all fashion chains for
fashion victims are located here. If you want to make poffertjes at
home, you can buy a special poffertjes pan at the hardware store on the
corner of Oude Binnenweg and Doormanstraat. Stay away from the starter
set for tourists! This is just plain expensive, not teflon coated and
the recipe is disastrously translated.
Blaak: You can grab a bargain
at the market at the metro station of the same name. Food, fish, spices,
clothes, books, jewelery and much more are offered. Market days are
Tuesday and Saturday from 8am to 5:30pm.
Zwart Janstraat: In the
north of the city there are goods for everyday use and Belgian beer.
Oude Haven The nightlife takes place mainly in the old harbor with
many pubs. There are parties and discos here in the Theatercafé Plan C
The exit possibilities change constantly and very quickly. Information
about current events can be found in the magazine "Uitagenda Rotterdam",
available from the Tourist Information VVV, or here:
http://www.rotterdamsuitburo.nl/.
Cheap
Use-It offers last minute reservations at some hotels with
discounts of up to 70%. These reservations are only possible on the day
of arrival at Use-It. The service charge is €2.30.
hostels
Ani
& Haakien, Coolsestraat 47-49. Tel.: +31 10 236 1086. Payment methods
accepted: debit card, credit card.
De Mafkees, Vijverhofstraat 47.
Email: rotterdam@use-it.nl. (near the train station) Simple hostel where
you can bring your sleeping bag/bedding and can therefore expect a very
attractive overnight price of less than €20 (January 2016) in the large
room with single and double bunk beds. It includes a simple sweet
breakfast. The staff at reception are very friendly and happy to help. A
small kitchen with hotplates and microwave allows quick meals to be
prepared. Plates, cups, pots, pans, cutlery and a refrigerator are
provided. There is plenty of seating and resting space in the large
lounge. I was impressed by the cleanliness of the house. The beds are
covered with rubber mattresses, so a light bed sheet should not be
missing in your luggage. In a large shower room and a toilet you can
take care of your own hygiene. A lockable cupboard can be rented for a
deposit of €5. A separate lock is not necessary for this. The hostel is
locked in the evening, and you can ring the bell at any time to reach
the night service. Sockets are a bit sparse. Feature: free WiFi. Price:
from €12.50 (bed and breakfast).
ROOM hostel, Van Vollenhovenstraat
62. close to the center Accepted payment methods: debit card, credit
card.
King Kong Hostel, Witte de Withstraat 74. Payment methods
accepted: debit card, credit card.
stayokay Tel.: +31 (0)10 436 57
63. Since June 15, 2009, the youth hostel has been located in the famous
cube apartments. Due to the convenient location, the shopping mile, the
market, the old port and sights can be reached quickly and cheaply. The
youth hostel has a restaurant, two conference rooms, a chill-out room, a
garden and a bar where you can chat with other backpackers about the
day's experiences in the evening.
Stadscamping, Kanaalweg 84.
Upscale
Cruise ship ss Rotterdam, 3e Katendrechtsehoofd 25. Tel.: +31
(0)10 - 297 30 90.
Hotel New York, Koninginnenhoofd 1,3072 AD
Rotterdam. Tel: +31 10 439 0500 . on historical ground, next to the
cruise terminal.
national emergency number 112
Rotterdam Police, Doelwater 5,
0900 8844
Erasmus MC Hospital, 's Gravendijkwal 230, (010) 704 07
04
Rotterdam Info Cafe, Stationsplein 45, 3013AK Rotterdam. Open:
Mon-Sat 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Sun 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
ROTTERDAM.INFO, Binnenwegplein, Coolsingel 195-197, 3012 AG Rotterdam.
Tel: +31 (0)10 790 01 85, email: info@rotterdam.info. Brochures and
souvenir shop. At the same time Feyenoord Rotterdam fan shop. Open:
Mon-Thu and Sat 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Fri 9:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Sun
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Use-It, Vijverhofstraat, 47. Tel: +31 (0)10
2409158. The tourist information for young people and backpackers. Here
you can find information about cheap accommodation, nightlife and
parties. Open: Tue-Sun 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Simply The Best is an
extremely useful brochure for navigating Rotterdam. It contains all
information about accommodation, food and drink, sights, nightlife and
accommodation options. It is available free of charge from Use-It.
Since the ninth century, the
settlement Rotta has been located on the site of the current city
center of Rotterdam. This became uninhabitable in the twelfth
century due to flooding of the river Rotte. Around 1270, a dam was
built in the Rotte where the Hoogstraat crosses the Rotte. Rotterdam
derives its name from this. A settlement arose around this dam where
people initially lived from fishing. It soon also became a trading
point and the first ports were created. On March 17, 1299, Rotterdam
received city rights from Count Jan I of Holland. In the past it was
generally assumed that they were revoked that same year, after the
death of Wolfert I van Borselen (the guardian of Jan I) and Jan I
himself, but that view is no longer generally accepted. Be that as
it may, on June 7, 1340, Count William IV of Holland (again) granted
city rights. A city wall was built in 1360, after permission had
been obtained in 1358 from Albrecht of Bavaria.
Jonker Frans
van Brederode played an important role for Rotterdam during the
Hoekse and Kabeljauwse disputes between 1488-1490. The wars greatly
strengthened Rotterdam's position as its base of operations compared
to the surrounding cities. For example, nearby Delft had lost almost
all its ships and Gouda half of the houses. Thanks to Jonker Frans,
Rotterdam definitely became a city of significance in Holland.
The late Gothic St. Lawrence Church was built between 1449 and
1525. In medieval Rotterdam this was the only stone building. It was
an ambitious project: Rotterdam consisted of about 1200 houses at
the time.
In 1572, Rotterdam was sacked by troops of the
stadholder of the Spanish king, Maximilian of Hénin-Liétard, the
Henegouwer. In 1573 the city sided with the Dutch Revolt. The city
then had about 10,000 inhabitants. At the end of the 16th century,
Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, who was Grand Pensionary of the city from
1576 to 1586, had the port of Rotterdam further developed, thus
laying the foundation for the important place this city would
acquire in maritime trade. At the 1622 census, the population had
grown to about 20,000. By the end of the 17th century, there would
be as many as 50,000.
Despite this, the city did not expand
beyond its ramparts and canals. The more or less triangular space
between Coolsingel, Goudsesingel and the Nieuwe Maas amounted to no
more than 140 hectares, so the city became overcrowded. It was not
until after 1825 that it would expand beyond these narrow borders.
From the 17th to the 19th century many Dutch ships sailed with
slaves from Africa to Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles, where
they were exchanged for goods that were shipped to Rotterdam, among
other places. The Rotterdam firm Coopstad and Rochussen, after the
Middelburgsche Commercie Compagnie, the largest slave trading
company in the Netherlands, played a role in this trans-Atlantic
slave trade.
In the 19th century, the position of Rotterdam as an international port was threatened by the silting up of the main connections with the sea, first the Scheur and then the Brielse Maas. To overcome this problem, between 1827 and 1830 under King Willem I (probably initially "to serve the interests of the war fleet with this connection between the naval dockyard in Rotterdam and the war harbor Hellevoetsluis") the Voorne canal was dug through the island of Voorne. , between Rotterdam and Hellevoetsluis. However, as the size of the sea-going vessels increased more and more in the 19th century, this canal proved inadequate. Engineer Pieter Caland designed an ambitious plan for a new connection to the North Sea. Implementation of this was started in 1866. The Nieuwe Waterweg was dug between 1866 and 1872. Together with the Scheur and the Nieuwe Maas, this created a direct shipping connection between Rotterdam and the North Sea at the Hook of Holland. After the opening of the Nieuwe Waterweg, the turbulent growth of Rotterdam began. Several new ports were built, which greatly increased employment. This attracted workers from all over the world. The money earned by the city was spent, among other things, on the construction of stately buildings in the center.
The city was expanded in two ways: by annexing a number of
surrounding municipalities and by building many new neighborhoods.
The first wave of annexations took place at the end of the
nineteenth century with Delfshaven (1886), Kralingen, part of
Overschie and Charlois in 1895.
The ports were expanded at a
rapid pace, under the influence of people like Lodewijk Pincoffs and
G.J. de Jongh. More and more ports were built, such as the Maas,
Rhine and Waal ports. Attracted by the resulting employment, many
farmers, especially from North Brabant, moved to the city. The
prevailing agricultural crisis amplified this effect. For the
newcomers, rows of cheap houses were quickly assembled, especially
in the south, on the left bank of the Maas, which was therefore soon
called the peasant side. Between 1880 and 1900, the population grew
rapidly from 160,000 to 315,000. In 1920, the population would even
exceed 500,000 inhabitants. Hoek van Holland was incorporated in
1914, followed by Pernis and Hoogvliet in 1933.
At the end of
the 19th century, the construction of the new Cool, Crooswijk and
Nieuwe Westen districts had already begun. From about 1914, further
expansion to the west began, with successively Spangen, het Witte
Dorp and Oud-Mathenesse.
The center of Rotterdam has since
gained more and more allure. The city walls had been demolished some
time before, but the canals, which were also part of earlier
defenses, were still there. These were largely filled in around this
time to make more room, partly for the greatly increased traffic.
Large parts of the Rotte were also filled in. Harbor barons and the
municipality invested in prestigious buildings. After the Coolvest
had been filled in, a spacious boulevard was created here with a new
town hall, a chic post office and the Stock Exchange. Modern
architects were given a chance.
During the First World War
(1914-1918), Rotterdam was a spy town because of the Dutch
neutrality and the favorable location between England, Germany and
occupied Belgium. Even before the war started, foreign secret
services had chosen Rotterdam as their base. The British secret
service was based at the offices of the Uranium Steamship Company on
the Boompjes. The German secret services were run from the Imperial
German Consulate General in the White House. Many Dutch people were
active in the field of (counter) espionage. The Dutch government
could be neutral, but not every citizen cared about it. A policy of
tolerance, combined with the aforementioned favorable location, made
Rotterdam the largest spy nest of the First World War.
Everything changed on May 14, 1940. At that time, the Netherlands
had already been at war for five days. Already on the first day many
German paratroopers and airborne troops landed around Rotterdam
South. The North Island was also occupied. The Dutch garrison,
supplied infantry and parts of the Marine Corps, however, kept the
Maasoever and Maas bridges constantly at gunpoint, which prevented
the Germans from reaching the center. After several days of fierce
fighting around the bridge, the Germans sent a negotiator on the
morning of 14 May. There were threats to destroy the city. The
Germans turned out to have little patience: to break the resistance,
the Nazis decided to carry out their threat.
The bombing of
Rotterdam, which took place early in the afternoon, lasted only
fifteen minutes, but the devastating effect, partly due to the fire
that started, was gigantic. More than 24,000 homes were reduced to
ashes. About 800 people were killed and 80,000 Rotterdammers were
made homeless. When the Germans threatened to destroy Utrecht in the
same way that same afternoon, this was reason for the Dutch
Commander-in-Chief Winkelman to capitulate.
In Rotterdam
almost the entire center, the heart of the city, had turned into a
smoldering mess. At the same time as the occupation the debris
clearing started. The Schie, near the current Schiekade, the Blaak
and the Kolk were filled in with the many rubble. The rubble was
also used for the construction of the islands in the southeast of
the Kralingse Plas and for the construction of the slope of the
current Willem Ruyslaan.
Because the Maas bridges, consisting
of the old Willemsbrug and the adjacent railway bridge, had not been
destroyed, the road and rail connections between the two city
districts remained intact. In addition, the Maastunnel, construction
of which had started in 1937, was opened on 14 February 1942. It was
the first car tunnel in the Netherlands.
The last major
annexation round also followed during the occupation. In 1941, the
municipalities of Hillegersberg, Schiebroek, the remaining part of
Overschie, Kralingseveer and IJsselmonde were added to Rotterdam in
one fell swoop.
On March 31, 1943, the Allies mistakenly bombed part of
Delfshaven, killing another 326 people and injuring 400. The Hunger
Winter (1944-1945) also cost many lives in Rotterdam.
The
consequences of the persecution of the Jews in Rotterdam are
difficult to chart in figures due to the municipal reorganization,
the bombings and the many itinerant refugees. It is estimated that
of the more than 11,000 'volljuden' and 'halbjuden' who were counted
at the start of the occupation, only 1,400 survived the persecution
and the rest of the war.
A major raid was held on 10 and 11
November 1944, during which approximately 50,000 men between 17 and
40 were taken away. On the night before the raid, Rotterdam was
surrounded by 8000 German soldiers and all important bridges and
squares were occupied and telephone traffic was cut off. De Kuip was
an important meeting place. The raid was carried out systematically,
making escape hardly possible. Approximately 20,000 of the men from
Rotterdam and Schiedam who were arrested left on foot in the
direction of Utrecht, 20,000 were transported by rijnaken and 10,000
by train. About 10,000 of them were employed in the east of the
Netherlands, the rest went to labor butchers in Germany.
After the war, reconstruction began
along the lines of the Basic Plan for the Reconstruction of
Rotterdam. In an urge for renewal and modernization, many damaged
buildings were not repaired but demolished, such as the building of
the Bijenkorf van Dudok.
In the 1950s, reconstruction was in
full swing. Rotterdam acquired the image of a 'working city' and
developed into a model of modernity. In 1953 the opening of the
Lijnbaan took place, the first car-free shopping street in Europe.
The progressive design attracted a lot of international attention.
The new Central Station was completed in 1957, with the then
ultra-modern Groothandelsgebouw built in 1953 next to it. On the
occasion of the Floriade, the Euromast was erected in 1960. Together
with the famous statue 'The destroyed city' by Ossip Zadkine, the
Euromast became a symbol of post-war Rotterdam. In 1970 the Euromast
was raised by the addition of a Space Tower, bringing the total
height to 185 meters.
In order to alleviate the housing
shortage, the municipality quickly set up a number of new
neighborhoods with many flats, such as Pendrecht, Zuidwijk,
Lombardijen, Ommoord and Zevenkamp.
Simultaneously with the
recovery of the ports, plans were also developed to disconnect the
city and port area. They wanted to achieve this by constructing new
port areas in the direction of the sea. Successively, the Botlek
area, Europoort and the Maasvlakte were built south of the Nieuwe
Waterweg, with enormous tank storage capacity for crude oil. Large
refineries were built in Pernis, Rozenburg and further west. Port
activities grew so fast that the port of Rotterdam became the
largest port in the world in 1962.
The construction of the
Rotterdam metro began in 1960, which was opened in 1968 as the first
metro in the Netherlands. This connected the 'south' districts with
the center. In 1970 the opening of the new Ahoy halls took place
near the Zuidplein shopping center.
Partly due to the
construction of the Weena, Rotterdam got a skyline with various
skyscrapers in the 1990s. Opened in 1991, the Delftse Poort building
became the highest skyscraper in the Netherlands at 151 meters, but
was overtaken in 2009 when the Maastoren under construction reached
its highest point (165 meters). In 1993, due to the opening of the
Willemsspoort tunnel, the railway disappeared from the center of
Rotterdam. With the completion of the Erasmus Bridge in 1996,
Rotterdam got a new symbol.
Rotterdam is centrally located in the Rotterdam City Region and
borders clockwise to the municipalities of Westland, Maassluis,
Vlaardingen, Schiedam, Midden-Delfland, Delft, Pijnacker-Nootdorp,
Lansingerland, Zuidplas, Capelle aan den IJssel, Krimpen aan den
IJssel, Ridderkerk, Barendrecht, Albrandswaard, Nissewaard, Brielle
and Westvoorne.
Large towns in the immediate vicinity are
Dordrecht, Delft, Zoetermeer and Spijkenisse. The metropolitan area
has about 1,600,000 inhabitants.
Like all of the mainland of the Netherlands, Rotterdam also has a moderate maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. In summer, the average temperatures are usually below 20 degrees, while the average temperature in winter will not often dip below freezing. The nearby North Sea moderates the temperature, so that extremes rarely occur. The North Sea does, however, provide a humid climate. Precipitation falls at any time of the year, but spring is clearly drier than autumn.
Rotterdam is often referred to as the Maasstad, and
in the city you will find many references to the river Maas
(Maasboulevard, Maasgebouw, Maasbrug, Maas tunnel, Maastoren). These
are historical references, because the Maas that flows near
Maastricht no longer flows through Rotterdam.
Until about
1870, the Maas flowed via what is now the Afgedamde Maas to the Waal
at Woudrichem, to form the Merwede together. The Merwede flowed via
the Beneden-Merwede to Dordrecht and split there into Oude Maas and
Noord, the latter later becoming the Nieuwe Maas together with the
Lek. West of Rotterdam, the Oude and Nieuwe Maas converged (and come
together) to enter the North Sea via a double estuary around the
island of Rozenburg as Scheur and Brielse Maas. The water that then
flowed through the center of Rotterdam contained more than half of
the total Maas water and on that basis, Rotterdam can best call
itself a Maasstad.
In the period 1861-1874, the Nieuwe
Merwede was dug to improve drainage of the Waal, and with that most
of the water from the Merwede, and therefore from the Maas, no
longer went to the sea via Dordrecht and Rotterdam, but via the
Haringvliet. . As a result, the Nieuwe Maas was mainly discharged
from the Lek.
In the end, due to frequent flooding in the
Land van Heusden in 1904, the Bergsche Maas was dug and the former
Maas between Heusden and Woudrichem was dammed. In principle, this
meant that the Maas water could no longer reach Rotterdam and since
then the Nieuwe Maas has only been fed by Rhine water, while the
Maas water goes entirely to the sea via the Haringvliet.