Many residents of the Old and New World dream of visiting the capital of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Each of them finds something of their own in this beautiful old city, some - unlimited freedom, saturated with the scent of marijuana, others - cultural attractions and monuments that are so rich in Amsterdam.
Origins
There are many important dates in the history of Amsterdam, but many experts call the main date - 1275, October 27. Then the first mention of the settlement was recorded in one of the documents that have survived to this day. There was a very important reason for the appearance of a settlement in this particular place, since it was decided to build a dam to protect the surroundings from flooding. By the way, this is confirmed by the toponym, which translates as "a dam erected on the Amstel River" (literal translation).
The birth of a settlement is an important moment, but how the settlement will develop in the future depends on many factors. In 1585, the largest city and rival - Antwerp - was occupied by Spanish troops. A huge number of refugees fled to Amsterdam, including wealthy Jews and Antwerp merchants.
On the one hand, they were fleeing the infamous Inquisition. On the other hand, having moved to Amsterdam, merchants expanded their trade, contributed to the development of urban industry and transport. And the Jews in the middle of the 16th century brought the technique of cutting diamonds to the city, and the high art of processing precious stones is preserved to this day. This is the medieval history of Amsterdam, summarized.
Amsterdam at the turn of the century and beyond
The end of the 19th century was marked by industrialization, which caused a sharp increase in population in the city and problems with housing. A program for the construction of residential areas was adopted, thanks to which the city acquired a form that is well known to modern tourists. War of 1914-1918 did not affect Amsterdam too much, as the country took a neutral position. The history of the city had its own significant events: 1917 - the so-called "Potato Riot"; 1928 - Summer Olympics.
The Second World War left its black mark on the history of the city. After the war, Amsterdam returned to a peaceful life, in 1950-1970. survived a wave of immigration, Surinamese, Turks, Indonesians came here for permanent residence.
