 About Amsterdam The capital of Netherlands "floats" on a web of waterways and is surrounded by water. The web of canals divides the city center into approximately ninety islands. The separate islands are linked by bridges. Many people live on "house-boats". The city was created out of the marshes on the banks of the Amstel River. Its foundation reminds that of Venice in Italy. In the beginning (13th century) Amsterdam was a fishing village. Now it plays very important role as a major Europe business, tourism and cultural center. The golden age of the city began in 17th century when the fishing settlement grew into major commercial gateway to Europe. Nowadays Amsterdam continues to play similar role for the Old continent. It provides extremely rich cultural collection of historic buildings, about 60 theatres and 45 museums. Many beautiful parks, streets and squares can be found in the city. Millions of tourists visit Amsterdam each year and enjoy its unique mixture of old-world charm and cosmopolitan culture. |
