I amsterdam - Then & Now

Resourceful Beginnings
When the last millennium was still quite young, a handful of adventurers came floating down the river Amstel in hollowed-out logs. Out of the marshlands and swamps surrounding the Amstel River, a structure of dams and dikes were forged - the first of which is marked by the Dam square at the heart of the city today. These canny 'Aemstelledammers' began exacting toll money from the passing beer and herring traders of the roaring Eastern Sea Trade of the Baltics, quickly becoming expert boat builders and brewers and attracting more curiosity in the emerging town. In 1275, Count Floris of Holland formalised these activities by granting special toll privileges to the merchant town and in 1300 the town got its first charter.

From Struggle to Solidarity
But the city's growth was not without struggle. As King Philip II of Spain and his representative Catholic aristocrats began to clash with the merchant population, a Reformation swelled. A wave of Protestantism grew amongst the new money, and as the sober, hard working and deeply worshiping Calvinists began to revolt, the 80 Years' War ensued. The Calvinists eventually overthrew King Philip II in 1578. Shortly thereafter, the celebrated William of Orange-Nassau declared the eight Northern provinces - including Amsterdam - as the independent Republic of Holland and became himself the first on the Dutch royal thrown. Having been brought up as a Lutheran as well as a Catholic, the stoic 'Vader des vaderlands'  (Father of the Fatherland) became a symbol for tolerance.

Cross-Cultural Roots
Between 1570 and 1640, Amsterdam's population increased from 30,000 to 139,000 and over the centuries, the thriving trade industry brought with it waves of various cultures, making the city a haven to diverse groups of refugees. Flexibility and tolerance of these cultures soon proved a key to Amsterdam's success. Protestant settlers, such as the French Huguenots, and Portuguese Jews fled to Amsterdam. Foundations were laid for a lively diamond cutting industry and valuable news came of new trade routes to the east. Pathways to business, trade and prosperity were forged into what ultimately became the country's 'Golden Age'. 

Golden Age
In the 17th century, the voyages of the famous Dutch East India Company (VOC) to the Spice Routes helped make Amsterdam one of the wealthiest and most influential cities in the world, thanks to a trade that brought with it new opportunities for a myriad of commercial possibilities. By 1687, the Amsterdam Wisselbank was one of the biggest commercial banks in existence, its notes of exchange recognised as valid tender everywhere. This ‘Golden Age’ left a magnificent cultural heritage -- including paintings by the likes of Rembrandt and ornate Classicist and Louis-style buildings. The city became a printing center thanks to prolific poets and playwrights such as Bredero, Vondel and P.C. Hooft and the respected philosophers Spinoza and Descartes. It was during this Golden Age that the city's famous concentric crescent of canals took form, becoming what to this day remains an intricate web of circa 90 islands, 100 kilometres of canals and 400 stone bridges. By 1806, Amsterdam had finally earned its title as the Dutch capital and was booming by the end of the century.

Industrial Revolution
While wars with France and the United Kingdom meant the city's prosperity suffered, by the time the Kingdom of the Netherlands was finally established in 1815, Amsterdam began to witness a surge of developments in architecture, infrastructure and industry. Dutch revival styles sprang up in Gothic, Rennaisance and Baroque-inspired buildings, such as the Central Station and Rijksmuseum of P. J. H. Cuypers or the Concertgebouw of A.L. van Gendt. Meanwhile, the ingenuity of the Amsterdammers saw improved communication and trade as the North Sea canal and the Rhine where joined by the Amsterdam-Rijn Canal. The city was fortified against attacks by the network of forts known as the Stelling van Amsterdam.

A Dark Period
While World War I saw minimum damage thanks to the Netherlands' neutrality, the same can not be said for World War II. With German SS troops occupying the city, Amsterdam saw its Jewish community - a pivotal influence in the city's buoyant trade, business, and cultural growth - practically wiped out. Protest and resistance from the Calvinist and Communist communities, such as the 1941 February Strike commemorated by the Jonas Daniël Meijerplein statue, proved insufficient. The city was devastated by the effects of the occupation. The lively areas once so highly populated and influenced by the Jewish community - such as the Jodenbuurt (Jewish quarter) of the Waterlooplein/Nieuwmarkt area - saw its inhabitants practically disappear. Anne Frank is perhaps the most well-known of the over 100,000 Amsterdam Jews that were deported and killed. But this population's influence can still be found today. For example, the Amsterdam dialect is sprinkled with Yiddish. In fact, the city's beloved nickname, 'Mokum', stems from the Yiddish word for 'town'.

A City Rebuilds
In spite of the devastation of World War II, Amsterdam was even more determined to remain an international crux of culture and trade. The airways opened with the construction of Schiphol airport -- which now ranks high among European airports in terms of volume and service. The Port of Amsterdam, now the 6^th largest European port, became a gateway for commodities such as grain, cacao and - later - Japanese cars. The economy received a new impulse from development of the area around the South Axis, the chief transport route between the city and Schiphol. Concentrations of office buildings and companies sprang up, including the Amsteltoren, the World Trade Centre Amsterdam, and the Teleport business complex in Sloterdijk. Of the total working population of more than 400,000 people, some 10% now works in the information technology sector.

A Modern Mix
Thanks to movements and measures that began in the sixties, the city once again picked up its socially progressive path. A hotbed of social activism during the era made famous by the 'Provos' eventually influenced the formalisation of a consensus society, with social policies and planning determined by neighbourhood councils. The city slowly managed to re-gain its diversity. The decolonisation of Surinam in 1974 saw the first influx of new immigrants and Amsterdam soon opened its doors even further to its first migrant workers from Turkey and Morocco. More recently, the free-labour movement sparked by new European Union legislation has seen an influx of European neighbours and new legislation for 'knowledge migrants' promises that the city will continue to attract highly-skilled and educated workers. Further, in another historical measure of tolerance, the city celebrated its first legalised civil marriages for same-sex couples in April 2001. With about 45% of the population belonging to one of the cultural minority groups, Amsterdam's 740,000 residents now consist over circa 150 nationalities.

A Unique City
Thanks to Amsterdam's unique mix of classic and contemporary, the city is now a leading tourist destination, a coveted place to live and a prime spot for business. The city's beauty and cultural attractions alone drew over 7 million overnight stays in 2004. Cross-streets lined with shops, cafés, creative businesses, and cultural venues assure a lively and contemporary scene for its residents. The warehouses once used for trade have now been converted into lovely apartments that mix comfortably with international financial institutions nestled in 18th-century mansions. Bicycles, trams, metros, boats and even skates now carry the city's inhabitants through their day. Impressive modern architecture from the past decade provides for unique living and office space in what was once old factories on the outskirts and surrounding islands. The Amsterdam Area itself continues to produce and innovate, competing with metropolises around the world and proving a vital and inspiring setting for the creative industries in the broadest sense.