The History of Rotterdam, Netherlands
Our Project Cordinator, Debbie, loves to travel and is often asked where people should consider going. Rotterdam, a large city in the Netherlands is always at the top of her list for recommendations. Team member, Alexis, recently discussed the city with Debbie and is excited to share what she learned in this blog.
Rotterdam, founded in the mid-13th century, was named after a dam in the Rotte river. Known as the largest port in Europe, it is the second largest Dutch city with over 600,000 residents. What first started as a fishing village is now a renowned international center of trade and industry, that is known as a city of interculture with people from all over the world choosing it as their home. This city is one of the most unique cities in the Netherlands because of its history and its evolution.
In the beginning of World War II, the entire city was occupied and nearly destroyed by German Nazi bombers. On May 10, 1940, German soldiers invaded the city and gained control of bridges, which were the primary source of transportation and communication for the country. This attack led to the Germans giving the city an ultimatum: surrender or the whole city would be destroyed. City leaders began negatioations with the Germans and as a result the bombing was postponed. Unfortunately, the bombers were not notified of this delay, and on May 14th, 1940 German planes to dropped over 1,000 bombs on the city of Rotterdam. This day is known as the Rotterdam Blitz, which led to the death of at least 1,000 residents, and the entire population (over 80,000 people) homeless or displaced during the German rule for the next five years.
Fast forward to 80 years later and Rotterdam is a evolutionized city that is rich in history, art, culture, and architecture. In recognition of its rebuild and new purposeful design, Rotterdammers recognize May 18th as Opbouwdag (Constructions Day) to celebrate the achievements in the building and infrastructure gained between the end of WWII and 1970, when postwar construction was finally completed. Post war plans commenced with the the building of the dam to prevent flooding because in places like Holland, the city is located below sea-level. The city had plans that included expaded and improved ports, updated water pumps, organized and efficient public transportation, historical museums (Maritime Museum, Boijamans Van Beuringen Muesuem, etc.), new modern homes (Cube homes by Piet Blom), and funky and useful building designs (Markthal, White Huis, etc.). The entire month of May is in fact dedicated to the fanstaic architectural marvels within the city.
Today Rotterdam is completely rebuilt into a beautiful city with so much to see and so much history to learn. Rotterdam is also home to bridges that are not only architecturally significant, but also critical to transportation, trade and industry. Bridges like the Erasmus Bridge (known as Swan Bridge), Willemsburg Bridge (highly visible due to its bright red color), and De Hef (which is no loner in use) stand tall in the city attracting residents and tourists. Almost all bridges in the city, regardless of size, can lift, turn, or move in some way to allow passing ships through. It is also very easy to get around the city either by foot, car, tram, bus, metro, taxi, water taxi, bike, or other methods. The transportation Rotterdam is very efficient and can make it easy to travel to other cities and countries quickly.
A Few Travel Tips
- Don’t worry, English is actually spoken by almost everyone, and it’s typical for people that live there to speak multiple languages, so it will be easy to ask for help or suggestions.
- It’s important when driving to ALWAYS look for bikers, as they have their own designated lanes and traffic signals.
- Unlike the US, the first floor of any building is called the Ground Floor. Floors above them are numbered sequentially. Thus, if you visit a building that Americans would label as having three stories, it may only be considered two stories by Dutch standards.
Make sure to check out the unique museums, bridges, architecture, and transportation systems in the city. Rotterdam offers immense opportunities for everyone and is a trip you MUST take. Keep an eye out for another blog entry that will go more in-depth regarding places and sites to see as well as food and entertainment.
