Part of the art and culture of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is its architecture, the formation of which began in the X-XI centuries and continued actively until the end of the second millennium. On the territory of the state, the most widespread was the Dutch Gothic style, in which the vast majority of significant architectural monuments of the Netherlands were made.
Rings of omnipotence
One of the most outstanding achievements of Dutch architecture is the canals of Amsterdam, which form a unique water and transport system. They began to appear on the map of the kingdom's capital in the 15th century, when the Singel, bordering Amsterdam from the west, was dug. In the 17th century, the construction of the network, which includes hundreds of kilometers of artificial rivers and more than one and a half thousand bridges, was completed. Ninety newly formed islands allowed the city to receive the title of Venice of the North.
Singel, Keizersgracht, Prinsengracht and Herengracht Amsterdam canals girdle in four semicircles, attracting millions of inquisitive travelers with their magical power. The unique system of Amsterdam canals is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as an example of ancient hydraulic engineering and architectural art.
One, but fiery passion …
A huge number of architectural landmarks in Holland are built in the Gothic style. This trend in the design and decoration of buildings was typical for Europe in the XIII-XVI centuries. Gothic turned out to be the Ridderzaal castle in The Hague, where the monarch addresses his subjects with solemn speeches, and the Oudekerk church in Amsterdam, which is considered the oldest building in the capital.
The southern regions fell under the rule of "flaming Gothic" - the direction of architecture in Holland, Belgium and northern Italy, which is characterized by ornaments similar to tongues of flame. The most striking example of this style is the town hall in the city of Middelburg.
Rebirth to a new life
The Renaissance era gave the Dutch the famous Meat Rows in Haarlem, the brickwork tradition, bay windows on the facades and the overall impression of good quality. The construction of canals in Amsterdam has led to the typical development of their banks, representing three to four storey buildings, closely adjacent to each other, with narrow facades and Renaissance architectural motives in decoration.
The modern look of some cities in the Netherlands is also largely determined by architecture. For example, Rotterdam is often called the country's architectural highlight, referring to a desperate mix of styles and a variety of forms of development.
