Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River
Rotte'') is the second largest
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. It is in the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
South Holland
South Holland ( nl, Zuid-Holland ) is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.7 million as of October 2021 and a population density of about , making it the country's most populous province and one of the world's most densely ...
, part of the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
mouth of the
Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the
''"New Meuse"'' inland shipping channel, dug to connect to the
Meuse
The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a t ...
first, but now to the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
instead.
Rotterdam's history goes back to 1270, when a
dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...
was constructed in the
Rotte. In 1340, Rotterdam was granted city rights by
William IV, Count of Holland
William II (1307 – 26 September 1345) was Count of Hainaut from 1337 until his death. He was also Count of Holland (as William IV) and Count of Zeeland. He succeeded his father, Count William I of Hainaut. While away fighting in Prussia, the ...
. The
Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area
The Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area ( nl, Metropoolregio Rotterdam Den Haag) is a metropolitan area encompassing the cities of Rotterdam and The Hague as well as 21 other municipalities. It was founded in 2014. The area has a population of ...
, with a population of approximately 2.7 million, is the
10th-largest in the European Union and the most populous in the country.
A major logistic and economic centre, Rotterdam is
Europe's largest seaport. In 2020, it had a population of 651,446 and is home to over 180 nationalities. Rotterdam is known for its
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
, riverside setting, lively cultural life, maritime heritage and modern architecture. The near-complete destruction of the city centre in the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
Rotterdam Blitz
Rotterdam was subjected to heavy aerial bombardment by the ''Luftwaffe'' during the German invasion of the Netherlands in World War II. The objective was to support the German troops fighting in the city, break Dutch resistance and force the Du ...
has resulted in a varied architectural landscape, including
skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...
s designed by architects such as
Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas (; born 17 November 1944) is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. He is often cited as a re ...
,
Piet Blom and
Ben van Berkel
Ben van Berkel (born 1957) is a Dutch architect; founder and principal architect of the architectural practice UNStudio. With his studio he designed, among others, the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, the Moebius House in the Netherlands, the Mercede ...
.
The
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
,
Meuse
The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a t ...
and
Scheldt
The Scheldt (french: Escaut ; nl, Schelde ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of Netherlands, the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corr ...
give waterway access into the heart of Western Europe, including the highly industrialized
Ruhr
The Ruhr ( ; german: Ruhrgebiet , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr area, sometimes Ruhr district, Ruhr region, or Ruhr valley, is a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 2,800/km ...
. The extensive distribution system including rail, roads, and waterways have earned Rotterdam the nicknames "Gateway to Europe" and "Gateway to the World".
History
Early history
![Blaeu 1652 - Rotterdam](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Blaeu_1652_-_Rotterdam.jpg)
The settlement at the lower end of the
fen
A fen is a type of peat-accumulating wetland fed by mineral-rich ground or surface water. It is one of the main types of wetlands along with marshes, swamps, and bogs. Bogs and fens, both peat-forming ecosystems, are also known as mires. T ...
stream ''
Rotte'' (or ''Rotta'', as it was then known, from ''rot'', "muddy" and ''a'', "water", thus "muddy water") dates from at least 950 CE. Around 1150, large
flood
A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...
s in the area ended development, leading to the construction of protective
dikes
Dyke (UK) or dike (US) may refer to:
General uses
* Dyke (slang), a slang word meaning "lesbian"
* Dike (geology), a subvertical sheet-like intrusion of magma or sediment
* Dike (mythology), ''Dikē'', the Greek goddess of moral justice
* Dikes ...
and dams, including ''Schielands Hoge Zeedijk'' ("Schieland's High Sea Dike") along the northern banks of the present-day
Nieuwe Maas
The Nieuwe Maas (; "New Meuse") is a distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Meuse (river), Maas River, in the Netherlands, Dutch Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland. It runs from the confluence of th ...
river. A dam on the Rotte was built in the 1260s and was located at the present-day ''Hoogstraat'' ("High Street").
On 7 July 1340, Count
Willem IV of Holland granted
city rights
Town privileges or borough rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. The city law customary in Central Europe probably dates back to Italian models, which in turn were oriented towards the tradition ...
to Rotterdam, whose population then was only a few thousand.
Around the year 1350, a shipping canal (the ''
Rotterdamse Schie'') was completed, which provided Rotterdam access to the larger towns in the north, allowing it to become a local trans-shipment centre between the Netherlands,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, and to
urbanize
Urbanization (or urbanisation) refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. It is predominantly the ...
.
![Detroit Publishing Company - Rotterdam - Delftsevaart, c](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Detroit_Publishing_Company_-_Rotterdam_-_Delftsevaart%2C_c._1895.jpg)
The port of Rotterdam grew slowly but steadily into a port of importance, becoming the seat of one of the six "chambers" of the ''Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie'' (VOC), the
Dutch East India Company
The United East India Company ( nl, Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, the VOC) was a chartered company established on the 20th March 1602 by the States General of the Netherlands amalgamating existing companies into the first joint-stock ...
and one of the five "chambers" of the '' West-Indische Compagnie'' (WIC), the
Dutch West India Company
The Dutch West India Company ( nl, Geoctrooieerde Westindische Compagnie, ''WIC'' or ''GWC''; ; en, Chartered West India Company) was a chartered company of Dutch merchants as well as foreign investors. Among its founders was Willem Usselincx ( ...
.
The greatest spurt of growth, both in port activity and population, followed the completion of the
Nieuwe Waterweg
The Nieuwe Waterweg ("New Waterway") is a ship canal in the Netherlands from het Scheur (a branch of the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta) west of the town of Maassluis to the North Sea at Hook of Holland: the Maasmond, where the Nieuwe Waterweg conn ...
in 1872. The city and harbour started to expand on the south bank of the river. The ''
Witte Huis
The Witte Huis () or White House is a building and National Heritage Site in Rotterdam, Netherlands, built in 1898 in the Art Nouveau style.Rijksmonument report The building is tall, with 10 floors. It was also the first ''hoogbouw'' (liter ...
'' or ''White House'' skyscraper, inspired by American office buildings and built in 1898 in the French
Art Nouveau style, is evidence of Rotterdam's rapid growth and success. When completed, it was the tallest office building in Europe, with a height of .
20th century
![Rotterdam, Laurenskerk, na bombardement van mei 1940](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Rotterdam%2C_Laurenskerk%2C_na_bombardement_van_mei_1940.jpg)
During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the city was the world's largest spy centre because of Dutch neutrality and its strategic location between Britain, Germany and German-occupied Belgium. Many spies who were arrested and executed in Britain were led by German secret agents operating from Rotterdam.
MI6
The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 ( Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligenc ...
had its main European office on de Boompjes. From there the British coordinated espionage in Germany and occupied Belgium. During World War I, an average of 25,000 Belgian refugees lived in the city, as well as hundreds of German deserters and escaped Allied prisoners of war.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the German army invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940.
[.] Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
had hoped to conquer the country in just one day, but his forces met unexpectedly fierce resistance. The Dutch army was forced to capitulate on 15 May 1940, following the
bombing of Rotterdam on 14 May and the threat of bombing other Dutch cities. The heart of Rotterdam was almost completely destroyed by the
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
. Some 80,000 civilians were made homeless and 900 were killed; a relatively low number since many had fled the city because of the warfare and bombing going on in Rotterdam since the start of the invasion three days earlier. The City Hall survived the bombing.
Ossip Zadkine
Ossip Zadkine (russian: Осип Цадкин; 28 January 1888 – 25 November 1967) was a Belarusian-born French artist. He is best known as a sculptor, but also produced paintings and lithographs.
Early years and education
Zadkine was born on ...
later attempted to capture the event with his statue ''
De Verwoeste Stad
''The Destroyed City'' (Dutch: ''De verwoeste stad'') is a bronze memorial sculpture in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. It commemorates the German bombing of Rotterdam on 14 May 1940, which destroyed the medieval centre of the city. Unveiled in 19 ...
'' ('The Destroyed City'). The statue stands near the Leuvehaven, not far from the
Erasmusbrug
The Erasmusbrug (English: "Erasmus Bridge") is a combined cable-stayed and bascule bridge, construction began in 1986 and was completed in 1996. It crosses the Nieuwe Maas in the centre of Rotterdam, connecting the north and south parts of this ci ...
in the centre of the city, on the north shore of the river Nieuwe Maas. In 1941, 11,000 Jews still lived in Rotterdam. Before the war there were 13,000. Between 30 July 1942, and 22 April 1943, 6,790 people were deported in 8 transports via Loods 24. The vast majority of the Jews who were deported via Loods 24 were murdered in
Sobibór
Sobibor (, Polish: ) was an extermination camp built and operated by Nazi Germany as part of Operation Reinhard. It was located in the forest near the village of Żłobek Duży in the General Government region of German-occupied Poland.
As ...
and
Auschwitz-Birkenau
Auschwitz concentration camp ( (); also or ) was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It con ...
. Research in 2000 showed that 144 people survived the deportations. In 2013 the ''Jewish Children's Monument'' was unveiled.
In January 1948,
Queen Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina (; Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria; 31 August 1880 – 28 November 1962) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 until her abdication in 1948. She reigned for nearly 58 years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World Wa ...
presented the motto 'Sterker door strijd' (Stronger through effort) as part of the
coat of arms of Rotterdam
The coat of arms of Rotterdam is the official symbol of the city of Rotterdam. It consists of a shield and has a green band of the original weapon of Weena, bisected by a white band symbolizes the Rotte, two golden lions, and four lions, two bl ...
to the city government:
''...as a reminder also for posterity of the courage and strength with which the people of Rotterdam bore all the trials of the war and the important part they took in the liberation of the fatherland....''
—Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Rotterdam was gradually rebuilt from the 1950s through to the 1970s. Because the city centre was largely destroyed, new spatial infrastructure could be built, making it an open and modern city. In 1953 the
Lijnbaan
The Lijnbaan is the main shopping street of Rotterdam. It was opened in 1953, as the main pedestrian street in the new shopping district, after the old shopping district was completely destroyed during the bombing of Rotterdam by the German Luft ...
was opened, the first car-free shopping street in Europe. The progressive design attracted a lot of international attention. The new
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
was completed in 1957, with the
Groothandelsgebouw
The Groothandelsgebouw (meaning Wholesale Building or Offices) is an extensive building and monument in the center of Rotterdam, Netherlands next to the Central Station of the city. Completed in 1953 it is one of the first major buildings built af ...
from 1953 next to it. The
Euromast
Euromast is an observation tower in Rotterdam, Netherlands, designed by Hugh Maaskant constructed between 1958 and 1960. It was specially built for the 1960 Floriade, and is a listed monument since 2010. The tower is a concrete structure with an ...
was erected in 1960 on the occasion of the
Floriade.
From the 1980s onwards the city councils began developing an active architectural policy. The harbours were moving westwards and the old environment had to be reshaped. Daring and new styles of
apartment
An apartment (American English), or flat (British English, Indian English, South African English), is a self-contained housing unit (a type of residential real estate) that occupies part of a building, generally on a single story. There are ma ...
s, office buildings and recreation facilities resulted in a more '
livable
Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as "an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards ...
' city centre with a new skyline. In the 1990s, the
Kop van Zuid was built on the south bank of the river as a new business centre. Rotterdam was voted 2015 European City of the Year by the Academy of Urbanism.
A profile of Rem Koolhaas in ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' begins "If you put the last 50 years of architecture in a blender, and spat it out in building-sized chunks across the skyline, you would probably end up with something that looked a bit like Rotterdam."
Geography
![Rotterdam-plaats-OpenTopo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Rotterdam-plaats-OpenTopo.jpg)
Rotterdam is divided into a northern and a southern part by the river Nieuwe Maas, connected by (from west to east): the Beneluxtunnel; the
Maastunnel
The Maastunnel is a tunnel in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, connecting the banks of the Nieuwe Maas. About 75,000 motor vehicles and a large number of cyclists and pedestrians use the tunnel daily, making the Maastunnel an important part of Rott ...
; the
Erasmusbrug
The Erasmusbrug (English: "Erasmus Bridge") is a combined cable-stayed and bascule bridge, construction began in 1986 and was completed in 1996. It crosses the Nieuwe Maas in the centre of Rotterdam, connecting the north and south parts of this ci ...
; a subway tunnel; the Willemsspoortunnel ('Willems railway tunnel'); the
Willemsbrug
The Willemsbrug (English: "Williams Bridge") is a bridge next to the Erasmusbrug in the centre of Rotterdam, Netherlands, spanning the Nieuwe Maas. It links the northern part of the city with the ''Noordereiland'' and (in combination with the Ko ...
('Willems Bridge') together with the Koninginnebrug ('Queen's Bridge'); and the
Van Brienenoordbrug
The Van Brienenoord Bridge (Dutch: ''Van Brienenoordbrug'') is a large twin tied-arch motorway bridge in the Netherlands. Located at the east side of Rotterdam, it crosses the New Meuse (''Nieuwe Maas''), a major distributary of the river Rhine. ...
('Van Brienenoord Bridge'). The former railway lift bridge
De Hef ('the Lift') is preserved as a
Rijksmonument
A rijksmonument (, ) is a national heritage site of the Netherlands, listed by the agency Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed (RCE) acting for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
At the end of February 2015, the Netherlands ...
(national heritage site) in lifted position between the
Noordereiland
Noordereiland is a neighborhood of Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The Noordereiland owes its name to the Noorderhaven (nowadays Koningshaven) which, under the leadership of C.B. van der Tak was dug between 1872 and 1874. By digging the Noorderhaven, the ...
('North Island') and the south of Rotterdam.
The city centre is located on the northern bank of the Nieuwe Maas, although recent urban development has extended the centre to parts of southern Rotterdam known as
Kop van Zuid ('the Head of South', i.e. the northern part of southern Rotterdam). From its inland core, Rotterdam reaches the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
by a swathe of predominantly harbour area.
Built mostly behind dikes, large parts of the Rotterdam are below sea level. For instance, the Prins Alexander Polder in the northeast of Rotterdam extends below sea level, or rather below
Normaal Amsterdams Peil
Amsterdam Ordnance Datum or ' (NAP) is a vertical datum in use in large parts of Western Europe. Originally created for use in the Netherlands, its height was used by Prussia in 1879 for defining ', and in 1955 by other European countries. In the ...
(NAP) or 'Amsterdam Ordnance Datum'. The lowest point in the Netherlands ( below NAP) is situated just to the east of Rotterdam, in the municipality of
Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel
Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel (; population: 22,344 in 2004) is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Since 2010 it is part of the new municipality of Zuidplas.
It is situated along the Holland ...
.
![Rotterdam by Sentinel-2, 2018-06-30](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Rotterdam_by_Sentinel-2%2C_2018-06-30.jpg)
The
Rotte river no longer joins the Nieuwe Maas directly. Since the early 1980s, when the construction of Rotterdam's second subway line interfered with the Rotte's course, its waters have been pumped through a pipe into the Nieuwe Maas via the Boerengat.
Between the summers of 2003 and 2008, an artificial
beach
A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shel ...
was created at the Boompjeskade along the Nieuwe Maas, between the Erasmus Bridge and the Willems Bridge.
Swimming
Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
was not possible, digging pits was limited to the height of the layer of
sand
Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class of s ...
, about . Alternatively, people go to the beach of
Hook of Holland
Hook of Holland ( nl, Hoek van Holland, ) is a town in the southwestern corner of Holland, hence the name; ''hoek'' means "corner" and was the word in use before the word ''kaap'' – "cape", from Portuguese ''cabo'' – became Dutch. The English t ...
(which is a Rotterdam district) or one of the beaches in
Zeeland
, nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge")
, anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem")
, image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg
, map_alt =
, m ...
:
Renesse
Renesse ( zea, Renisse) is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland, and lies about 28 km west of Hellevoetsluis.
Renesse is a popular tourist resort with zero-fare bus services in th ...
or the Zuid Hollandse Eilanden:
Ouddorp
Ouddorp is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is part of the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee. It is often referred to as ''Ouddorp aan Zee'' (Outdorp on the Sea) to promote itself as a seaside resort, because the village has a ...
,
Oostvoorne
Oostvoorne is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Westvoorne, and lies about north of Hellevoetsluis.
In 2001, the town of Oostvoorne had 5,403 inhabitants, the built-up area of the town was , and ...
.
Rotterdam forms the centre of the
Rijnmond
Rijnmond () (literally ''Rhine Mouth, Mouth of the Rhine, Rhine Estuary'') is the conurbation surrounding the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Another term used in this context is ''Stadsregio Rotterdam'' (literally ''Rotterdam Urban Region'' ...
conurbation, bordering the conurbation surrounding
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
to the north-west. The two conurbations are close enough to be a single conurbation. They share the
Rotterdam The Hague Airport
Rotterdam The Hague Airport (formerly ''Rotterdam Airport'', ''Vliegveld Zestienhoven'' in Dutch language, Dutch), is a minor international airport serving Rotterdam, the Netherlands' second largest city, and The Hague, its administrative and ...
and a light rail system called
RandstadRail
RandstadRail () is a light rail network in the Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area in the west of the Netherlands that is jointly operated by HTM Personenvervoer (HTM) and Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram (RET). It connects the cities of Rotte ...
. Consideration is being given to creating an official Metropolitan region Rotterdam The Hague (''Metropoolregio Rotterdam Den Haag''), which would have a combined population approaching 2.5 million.
On its turn, the Rijnmond conurbation is part of the southern wing (the
Zuidvleugel
Zuidvleugel (, literally "south wing") is the band of cities and towns located along the southern wing of the Randstad in the Netherlands. It is that part of the Randstad that is located in the Province of South Holland. This developing conurbat ...
) of the
Randstad
The Randstad (; "Rim" or "Edge" City) is a roughly crescent-shaped conurbation in the central-western Netherlands, consisting primarily of the four largest Dutch cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht); their suburbs, and many tow ...
, which is one of the most important economic and densely populated areas in the north-west of Europe. Having a population of 7.1 million, the Randstad is the
sixth-largest urban area
An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are categorized by urban morphology as cities, t ...
in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
(after Moscow, London, Paris, Istanbul, and the Rhein-Ruhr Area). The Zuidvleugel, situated in the province of
South Holland
South Holland ( nl, Zuid-Holland ) is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.7 million as of October 2021 and a population density of about , making it the country's most populous province and one of the world's most densely ...
, has a population of around 3 million.
Climate
Rotterdam experiences a temperate
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Cfb'') similar to all of the coastal areas in the Netherlands. Located near to the coast, its climate is slightly milder than locations further inland. Winters are cool with frequent cold days, while the summers are mild to warm, with occasional hot temperatures. Temperature rises above 30 °C on average 4 days each summer, while (night) temperatures can drop below -5 °C during winter for short periods of time, mostly during periods of sustained easterly (continental) winds. The following climate data is from the airport, which is slightly cooler than the city, being surrounded by water canals which make the climate milder and with a higher
relative humidity
Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present.
Humidity depe ...
. The city has an
urban heat island
An urban heat island (UHI) is an urban or metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities. The temperature difference is usually larger at night than during the day, and is most apparen ...
, especially inside the city centre.
Demographics
Rotterdam is diverse, with the demographics differing by neighbourhood. The city centre has a disproportionately high number of single people when compared to other cities, with 70% of the population between the ages of 20 and 40 identifying as single. Those with higher education and higher income live disproportionately in the city centre, as do foreign-born citizens. 54% of city centre residents are foreign-born, compared to 45% in other parts of the city, while in the city centre 70% of businesses are run by foreign-born people. Nonetheless, this is not a comment on income, as 80% of homes are rented in the city centre.
Composition
The
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
of Rotterdam is part of the
Rotterdam-The Hague Metropolitan Area which, as of 2015, covers an area of 1,130 km
2, of which 990 km km
2 is land, and has a population of approximately 2,563,197. As of 2019, the municipality itself occupies an area of 325.79 km
2, 208.80 km
2 of which is land, and is home to 638,751 inhabitants. Its population peaked at 731,564 in 1965, but the dual processes of
suburbanization
Suburbanization is a population shift from central urban areas into suburbs, resulting in the formation of (sub)urban sprawl. As a consequence of the movement of households and businesses out of the city centers, low-density, peripheral urba ...
and
counterurbanization
Counterurbanization, or deurbanization, is a demographic and social process whereby people move from urban areas to rural areas. It is, like suburbanization, inversely related to urbanization. It first occurred as a reaction to inner-city deprivat ...
saw this number steadily decline over the next 2 decades, reaching 560,000 by 1985.
Although Rotterdam has experienced population growth since then, it has done so at a slower pace than comparable cities in the Netherlands, like Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht .
Rotterdam consists of 14 submunicipalities:
Centrum
(Latin for ''center'') may refer to:
Places In Greenland
* Nuuk Centrum, a district of Nuuk, Greenland
* Centrum Lake, Greenland In the Netherlands
* Amsterdam-Centrum, the inner-most borough of Amsterdam, Netherlands
* Rotterdam Centrum, a borou ...
,
Charlois
Charlois () is a neighbourhood of the Dutch city of Rotterdam. It is located on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas
The Nieuwe Maas (; "New Meuse") is a distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch ...
(including Heijplaat),
Delfshaven
Delfshaven is a borough of Rotterdam, Netherlands, on the right bank of river Nieuwe Maas. It was a separate municipality until 1886.
The town of Delfshaven grew around the port of the city of Delft. Delft itself was not located on a major river ...
,
Feijenoord,
Hillegersberg-Schiebroek
Hillegersberg-Schiebroek is a borough in northern Rotterdam. The borough has (on January 1, 2008) 40,846 inhabitants.
Until the annexation by Rotterdam on August 1, 1941, Hillegersberg and Schiebroek were independent communities. In 1947 in Rotter ...
,
Hook of Holland
Hook of Holland ( nl, Hoek van Holland, ) is a town in the southwestern corner of Holland, hence the name; ''hoek'' means "corner" and was the word in use before the word ''kaap'' – "cape", from Portuguese ''cabo'' – became Dutch. The English t ...
,
Hoogvliet
Hoogvliet is a borough of Rotterdam, Netherlands. As of 1 January 2004, it had 36,619 inhabitants. There is also a national chain of Dutch supermarkets with the same name.
History
The village Hoogvliet was first mentioned on 26 May 1326 in the ar ...
,
IJsselmonde,
Kralingen-Crooswijk
Kralingen-Crooswijk () is a township of the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. It is located at the immediate east of the city's centre. As of 2005 it has about 52,379 inhabitants and has a territory of about 1,286 ha. It consists of the two boroughs ...
,
Noord
Noord () is a town and region in Aruba (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands). This town is known for its low rise and high rise hotels, restaurants, beaches, malls, the California Lighthouse, and other places of attraction.
Places of interest ...
,
Overschie
Overschie is a neighborhood of Rotterdam, Netherlands, formerly a separate village with its own municipality.
The village of Overschie was located on the intersection of four rivers called "Schie": the Delftsche Schie, Schiedamsche Schie, Delfs ...
,
Pernis, and
Prins Alexander
Prins Alexander is a borough in the northeast of Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Prins Alexander has 7 neighbourhoods:
*Het Lage Land
*Kralingseveer
*Nesselande
*Ommoord
*Oosterflank
*Prinsenland
*Zevenkamp
Public transportation
Prins Alexander is co ...
(the most populous submunicipality with around 85,000 inhabitants). One other area,
Rozenburg
Rozenburg () is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 13,173 in 2004, and covers an area of 6.50 km² (of which 1.99 km² water). It was the s ...
, does have an official submunicipality status since 18 March 2010. Since the status of a
submunicipality was lifted on 19 March 2014, it became an integral part of the municipality of Rotterdam .
The size of the municipality of Rotterdam is the result of the amalgamation of the following former municipalities, some of which were a
submunicipality prior to 19 March 2014:
*
Delfshaven
Delfshaven is a borough of Rotterdam, Netherlands, on the right bank of river Nieuwe Maas. It was a separate municipality until 1886.
The town of Delfshaven grew around the port of the city of Delft. Delft itself was not located on a major river ...
(added on 30 January 1886)
*
Charlois
Charlois () is a neighbourhood of the Dutch city of Rotterdam. It is located on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas
The Nieuwe Maas (; "New Meuse") is a distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch ...
(added on 28 February 1895)
*
Kralingen (added on 28 February 1895)
*
Hoogvliet
Hoogvliet is a borough of Rotterdam, Netherlands. As of 1 January 2004, it had 36,619 inhabitants. There is also a national chain of Dutch supermarkets with the same name.
History
The village Hoogvliet was first mentioned on 26 May 1326 in the ar ...
(added on 1 May 1934)
*
Pernis (added on 1 May 1934)
*
Hillegersberg
Hillegersberg is a neighbourhood of Rotterdam, Netherlands. Primarily a green residential area with lakes, canals and parks, it was incorporated into the city of Rotterdam in 1941.
History
Hillegersberg was named after Hildegard van Vlaandere ...
(added on 1 August 1941)
*
IJsselmonde (added on 1 August 1941)
*
Overschie
Overschie is a neighborhood of Rotterdam, Netherlands, formerly a separate village with its own municipality.
The village of Overschie was located on the intersection of four rivers called "Schie": the Delftsche Schie, Schiedamsche Schie, Delfs ...
(added on 1 August 1941)
*
Schiebroek
Schiebroek is a former village in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is now a neighbourhood of Rotterdam, and part of the borough of Hillegersberg-Schiebroek
Hillegersberg-Schiebroek is a borough in northern Rotterdam. The borough has ...
(added on 1 August 1941)
*
Rozenburg
Rozenburg () is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 13,173 in 2004, and covers an area of 6.50 km² (of which 1.99 km² water). It was the s ...
(added on 18 March 2010)
Ethnic makeup
In the Netherlands, Rotterdam has the highest percentage of foreigners from non-industrialised nations. They form a large part of Rotterdam's multi-ethnic and multicultural diversity. 52.9% of the population are of non-Dutch origins or have at least one parent born outside the country. There are 80,000 Muslims, constituting 13% of the population.
The mayor of Rotterdam,
Ahmed Aboutaleb
Ahmed Aboutaleb ( ar, أحمد أبو طالب; born 29 August 1961) is a Dutch politician of Moroccan origin, he is of the Labour Party (PvdA) and a journalist. He has been the Mayor of Rotterdam since 5 January 2009.
Early life and career ...
, is of Moroccan descent and is a practicing Muslim (mayors are not elected in the Netherlands). The city is home to the largest Dutch Antillean community. The city also has its own
China Town
A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...
at the West-Kruiskade, close to Rotterdam Centraal.
Religion
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
is the largest religion in Rotterdam, with 36.3% of the population identifying. The second and third largest religions are
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
(13.1%) and
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
(3.3%), while about half of the population has
no religious affiliation.
Since 1795 Rotterdam has hosted the chief congregation of the liberal Protestant brotherhood of
Remonstrants
The Remonstrants (or the Remonstrant Brotherhood) is a Protestant movement that had split from the Dutch Reformed Church in the early 17th century. The early Remonstrants supported Jacobus Arminius, and after his death, continued to maintain his ...
. From 1955 it has been the seat of the
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
bishop of Rotterdam
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rotterdam is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in South Holland province of the Netherlands. The diocese is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Utrecht. Since 2011, the ...
when the Rotterdam diocese was split from the
Haarlem diocese. Since 2010 the city is home to the largest mosque in the Netherlands,
the Essalam mosque (capacity 1,500).
Politics
The municipal council consists of 45 members, the largest party is
Livable Rotterdam. The municipal executive consists of mayor
Ahmed Aboutaleb
Ahmed Aboutaleb ( ar, أحمد أبو طالب; born 29 August 1961) is a Dutch politician of Moroccan origin, he is of the Labour Party (PvdA) and a journalist. He has been the Mayor of Rotterdam since 5 January 2009.
Early life and career ...
and nine elderman, belonging to four parties.
Economy
![Rotterdam NationaleNederlanden](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Rotterdam_NationaleNederlanden.jpg)
Rotterdam has always been one of the main centres of the shipping industry in the Netherlands. From the Rotterdam Chamber of the
VOC
VOC, VoC or voc may refer to:
Science and technology
* Open-circuit voltage (VOC), the voltage between two terminals when there is no external load connected
* Variant of concern, a category used during the assessment of a new variant of a virus
...
, the world's first multinational, established in 1602, to the merchant shipping leader Royal
Nedlloyd
Nedlloyd was a Dutch shipping company, formed in 1970 as the result of a merger of several shipping lines:
*Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland (SMN)
*Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd (KRL)
*Koninklijke Java-China-Paketvaart-Lijnen (KJCPL)
*Vereen ...
established in 1970, with its corporate headquarters located in the landmark building the 'Willemswerf' in 1988. In 1997, Nedlloyd merged with the British shipping industry leader P&O forming the third largest merchant shipping company in the world. The Anglo-Dutch
P&O Nedlloyd
P&O Nedlloyd Container Line Limited was an Anglo-Dutch worldwide ocean-going container shipping line, with dual headquarters in London and Rotterdam. The company was formed in 1997 by the merger of the container-shipping interests of Dutch trans ...
was bought by the Danish giant corporation 'AP Moller
Maersk
(), also known simply as Maersk (), is a Danish shipping company, active in ocean and inland freight transportation and associated services, such as supply chain management and port operation. Maersk was the largest container shipping line a ...
' in 2005 and its Dutch operations are still headquartered in the 'Willemswerf'. Nowadays, well-known companies with headquarters in Rotterdam are consumer goods company
Unilever
Unilever plc is a British multinational consumer goods company with headquarters in London, England. Unilever products include food, condiments, bottled water, baby food, soft drink, ice cream, instant coffee, cleaning agents, energy drink, t ...
(since 2020 London), asset management firm
Robeco
Robeco is an originally Dutch asset management firm, since 2013 part of Orix, founded in 1929 as the Rotterdamsch Beleggings Consortium (Rotterdam Investment Consortium). As of 2014, the company had €246 billion of assets under management. It ...
, energy company
Eneco
Eneco, the trading name of Eneco Groep N.V., is a producer and suppliers of natural gas, electricity and heat in the Netherlands, serving more than 2 million business and residential customers. Eneco headquarters are located in Rotterdam. It ...
, dredging company
Van Oord
Royal Van Oord is a Dutch maritime contracting company that specializes in dredging, land reclamation and constructing man made islands. Royal Van Oord has undertaken many projects throughout the world, including land reclamation, dredging and beac ...
, oil company
Royal Dutch Shell
Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New Yo ...
(since 2021
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
), terminal operator
Vopak
Royal Vopak N.V. ( nl, Koninklijke Vopak) is a Dutch independent multinational company that stores and handles products ranging from chemicals, oil, gases and LNG to biofuels and vegoils. Its purpose is to "Store vital products with care", which ...
, commodity trading company
Vitol
Vitol is a Swiss-based multinational energy and commodity trading company that was founded in Rotterdam in 1966 by Henk Viëtor and Jacques Detiger. Though trading, logistics and distribution are at the core of its business, these are complemente ...
and architecture firm
Office for Metropolitan Architecture
The Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) is an international architectural firm with offices in Rotterdam, New York, Hong Kong, Doha, and Australia. The firm is currently led by eight partners - Rem Koolhaas, Reinier de Graaf, Ellen van ...
.
It is also home to the regional headquarters of chemical company
LyondellBasell
LyondellBasell Industries N.V. is a multinational chemical company incorporated in the Netherlands with U.S. operations headquartered in Houston, Texas, and offices in London, UK. The company is the largest licensor of polyethylene and polypro ...
, commodities trading company
Glencore
Glencore plc is a Swiss multinational commodity trading and mining company with headquarters in Baar, Switzerland. Glencore's oil and gas head office is in London and its registered office is in Saint Helier, Jersey. The current company was c ...
, pharmaceutical company
Pfizer
Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered on 42nd Street in Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs, Charles Pfizer ...
, logistics companies
Stolt-Nielsen
Stolt-Nielsen Limited (SNL) provides transportation and storage for liquids, notably specialty and bulk liquid chemicals. It also has an aquaculture division that grows turbot and other fish and fish products.
Founded in 1959, corporate services ...
, electrical equipment company
ABB
ABB Ltd. is a Swedish- Swiss multinational corporation headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland. The company was formed in 1988 when Sweden's Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget (ASEA) and Switzerland's Brown, Boveri & Cie merged to crea ...
and consumer goods company
Procter & Gamble
The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/consumer hea ...
. Furthermore, Rotterdam has the Dutch headquarters of
Allianz
Allianz ( , ) is a German multinational financial services company headquartered in Munich, Germany. Its core businesses are insurance and asset management.
The company is one of the world's largest insurers and financial services groups. The ...
,
Maersk
(), also known simply as Maersk (), is a Danish shipping company, active in ocean and inland freight transportation and associated services, such as supply chain management and port operation. Maersk was the largest container shipping line a ...
,
Petrobras
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A., better known by the portmanteau Petrobras (), is a state owned enterprise, state-owned Brazilian multinational corporation in the petroleum industry headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The company's name transla ...
,
Samskip,
Louis Dreyfus Group
Louis Dreyfus Company B.V. (LDC), also called the Louis-Dreyfus Group, is a French merchant firm that is involved in agriculture, food processing, international shipping, and finance. The company owns and manages hedge funds, ocean vessels, dev ...
,
Aon
Aon or AON may refer to:
* Aon (mythology), son of Poseidon in Greek mythology
* ''Aon'' (moth), a genus of moths in the family Erebidae
* Aon (trigraph), a Latin trigraph
* "Aon", a composition by jazz pianist Harold Mabern, 1968
Business an ...
and
MP Objects. The City of Rotterdam makes use of the services of semi-government companies
Roteb
Roteb was a city cleaning company which was in service of the City of Rotterdam and tried to make sure that the streets and squares of the city are kept tidy and they also offered waste management services. Later Roteb only leased vehicles, like ...
(to take care of
sanitation
Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to clean drinking water and treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. Preventing human contact with feces is part of sanitation, as is hand washing with soap. Sanitation systems ...
,
waste management
Waste management or waste disposal includes the processes and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal.
This includes the collection, transport, treatment and disposal of waste, together with monitoring ...
and assorted services) and the Port of Rotterdam Authority (to maintain the
Port of Rotterdam
The Port of Rotterdam is the largest seaport in Europe, and the world's largest seaport outside of East Asia, located in and near the city of Rotterdam, in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. From 1962 until 2004, it was the List o ...
). Both these companies were once municipal bodies; now they are autonomous entities, owned by the city.
![ECT waalhaven bij nacht](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/ECT_waalhaven_bij_nacht.jpg)
Being the largest port and one of the largest cities of the country, Rotterdam attracts many people seeking jobs, especially in the cheap labour segment. The city's unemployment rate is 12%, almost twice the national average.
Rotterdam is the largest
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, with the rivers
Maas and
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
providing excellent access to the
hinterland
Hinterland is a German word meaning "the land behind" (a city, a port, or similar). Its use in English was first documented by the geographer George Chisholm in his ''Handbook of Commercial Geography'' (1888). Originally the term was associated ...
upstream reaching to
Basel, Switzerland
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS), ...
and into France. In 2004
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
took over as the world's
busiest container port. In 2006, Rotterdam was the world's seventh largest
container port
A container port or container terminal is a facility where cargo containers are transshipped between different transport vehicles, for onward transportation. The transshipment may be between container ships and land vehicles, for example train ...
in terms of
twenty-foot equivalent unit
The twenty-foot equivalent unit (abbreviated TEU or teu) is an inexact unit of cargo capacity, often used for container ships and container ports.Rowlett, 2004. It is based on the volume of a intermodal container, a standard-sized metal box whic ...
s (TEU) handled. The port's main activities are
petrochemical
Petrochemicals (sometimes abbreviated as petchems) are the chemical products obtained from petroleum by refining. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sou ...
industries and general
cargo
Cargo consists of bulk goods conveyed by water, air, or land. In economics, freight is cargo that is transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. ''Cargo'' was originally a shipload but now covers all types of freight, including trans ...
handling and
transshipment
Transshipment, trans-shipment or transhipment is the shipment of goods or containers to an intermediate destination, then to another destination.
One possible reason for transshipment is to change the means of transport during the journey (e.g. ...
. The harbour functions as an important transit point for
bulk
Bulk can refer to:
Industry
* Bulk cargo
* Bulk liquids
* Bulk mail
* Bulk material handling
* Bulk pack, packaged bulk materials/products
* Bulk purchasing
*
Baking
* Bulk fermentation, the period after mixing when dough is left alone to f ...
materials between the European continent and overseas. From Rotterdam, goods are transported by ship, river barge, train or road. In 2007, the ''
Betuweroute
The Betuweroute is a double track freight railway between Rotterdam and Germany. is the official name, after the Betuwe area through which the route passes. The line is popularly called Betuwelijn, after an older track in the same region. Th ...
'', a new fast freight
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
from Rotterdam to
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, was completed.
Well-known streets in Rotterdam are the
Lijnbaan
The Lijnbaan is the main shopping street of Rotterdam. It was opened in 1953, as the main pedestrian street in the new shopping district, after the old shopping district was completely destroyed during the bombing of Rotterdam by the German Luft ...
(the first set of
pedestrian streets of the country, opened in 1953), the Hoogstraat, the
Coolsingel
Coolsingel is a street in central Rotterdam. It is located in the Cool district. The street leads from the Hofplein to the Churchillplein. Plans were announced in 2016 to reduce traffic congestion on the street. The redevelopment is expected to ...
with the city hall, which was renovated between 2018 and 2021 giving cyclists and pedestrians more space, car traffic was reduced from 4 lanes (2 in each direction) to 2 lanes (1 in each direction). Another mainstreet is the
Weena, which runs from the Central Station to the
Hofplein
Hofplein is a major public town square in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The square lies on a crossing of the Weena, the Schiekade and the Coolsingel. In the center of the square a large fountain is situated.
Near the square lay the former Rotterd ...
(square). A modern shopping venue is the Beurstraverse ("Stock Exchange Traverse"), better known by its informal name '
Koopgoot' ('Buying/Shopping Gutter', after its subterranean position), which crosses the Coolsingel below street level). The Kruiskade is a more upscale shopping street, with retailers like
Michael Kors
Michael David Kors (born Karl Anderson Jr. August 9, 1959) is an American fashion designer. He is the chief creative officer of his brand, Michael Kors, which sells men's and women's ready-to-wear, accessories, watches, jewelry, footwear, and f ...
,
7 For All Mankind,
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and ...
,
Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss AG, often styled as BOSS, is a luxury fashion house headquartered in Metzingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The company sells clothing, accessories, footwear, and fragrances. Hugo Boss is one of the largest German clothing companies, ...
,
Tommy Hilfiger
Thomas Jacob Hilfiger ( /hɪlˈfɪgər/; born March 24, 1951) is an American fashion designer and the founder of Tommy Hilfiger Corporation.
After starting his career by co-founding a chain of jeans/fashion stores called People's Place in upst ...
and the Dutch well-known men's clothier
Oger
Oger may refer to:
__NOTOC__
* Ogre, Latvia
* Oger, Marne, France
* Saudi Oger
Saudi Oger Ltd ( ar, سعودي أوجيه), was a Saudi construction company, incorporated in January 1978 with its headquarters in Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, ال ...
. Another upscale shopping venue is a flagship store of department store
De Bijenkorf
De Bijenkorf (; literally, "the beehive") is a chain of high-end department stores in the Netherlands, with its flagship store on Dam Square in Amsterdam. The chain is owned by Selfridges Group, which also owns Britain's Selfridges and Ireland's B ...
. Located a little more to the east is the
Markthal, with lots of small retailers inside. This hall is also one of Rotterdam's famous architectural landmarks. The main shopping venue in the south of Rotterdam is Zuidplein, which lies close to
Rotterdam Ahoy
Rotterdam Ahoy (formerly known as Ahoy Rotterdam or simply as Ahoy) is a convention centre and multi-purpose indoor arena located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Opened originally in 1950, the current complex consists of three main venues: a fairs an ...
, an accommodation centre for shows, exhibitions, sporting events, concerts and congresses. Another prominent shopping centre called Alexandrium lies in the east of Rotterdam. It includes a large kitchen and furniture centre.
Education
![Rotterdam standbeeld Erasmus](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Rotterdam_standbeeld_Erasmus.jpg)
Rotterdam has one major university, the
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Erasmus University Rotterdam (abbreviated as ''EUR'', nl, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam ) is a public research university located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The university is named after Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, a 15th-century humanist ...
(EUR), named after one of the city's famous former inhabitants,
Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (; ; English: Erasmus of Rotterdam or Erasmus;''Erasmus'' was his baptismal name, given after St. Erasmus of Formiae. ''Desiderius'' was an adopted additional name, which he used from 1496. The ''Roterodamus'' wa ...
. The Woudestein campus houses (among others)
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (or RSM) is the international business school of the Erasmus University Rotterdam located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. RSM offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes taught mostly in English, ...
. In
Financial Times
The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...
' 2005 rankings it placed 29th globally and 7th in Europe. In the 2009 rankings of Masters of Management, the school reached first place with the
CEMS Master in Management and the tenth place with its RSM Master in Management. The university is also home to Europe's largest student association,
STAR Study Association Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the world's largest student association,
AIESEC
AIESEC is an international youth-run, non-governmental and not-for-profit organization that provides young people with leadership development, cross-cultural internships, and global volunteer exchange experiences. The organization focuses on emp ...
, has its international office in the city.
The
Willem de Kooning Academy
The Willem de Kooning Academy ( nl, Willem de Kooning Academie) is a Dutch academy of media, art, design, leisure and education based in Rotterdam. It was named after one of its most famous alumni, Dutch fine artist Willem de Kooning.
Overview
...
Rotterdam's main art school, which is part of the Hogeschool Rotterdam. It is regarded as one of the most prestigious art schools in the Netherlands and the number 1 in Advertising and Copywriting. Part of the
Willem de Kooning Academy
The Willem de Kooning Academy ( nl, Willem de Kooning Academie) is a Dutch academy of media, art, design, leisure and education based in Rotterdam. It was named after one of its most famous alumni, Dutch fine artist Willem de Kooning.
Overview
...
is the
Piet Zwart Institute
The Piet Zwart Institute is a post-graduate institute for study and research in art, media and design based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Named in memory of the Dutch designer Piet Zwart, it was inaugurated in 2001. The current postgraduate study p ...
for postgraduate studies and research in Fine Art, Media Design and Retail Design. The Piet Zwart Institute boasts a selective roster of emerging international artists.
The Hoboken campus of EUR houses the Dijkzigt (general) hospital, the Sophia Hospital (for children),
Daniel den Hoed clinic (cancer institute) and the medical department of the university. They are known collectively as the
Erasmus Medical Center
Erasmus University Medical Center (Erasmus MC or EMC) based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, affiliated with Erasmus University and home to its faculty of medicine, is the largest and one of the most authoritative scientific University Medical Centers in ...
. This center is ranked third in Europe by CSIC as a hospital, and is also ranked within top 50 universities of the world in the field of medicine (clinical, pre-clinical & health, 2017).
Three ''
Hogescholen
A university of applied sciences (UAS), nowadays much less commonly called a polytechnic university or vocational university, is an institution of higher education and sometimes research that provides vocational education and grants academic de ...
'' (Universities of applied sciences) exist in Rotterdam. These schools award their students a professional
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
and postgraduate or
Master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. . The three ''Hogescholen'' are
Hogeschool Rotterdam
The Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (abbreviated as ''Rotterdam UAS''; nl, Hogeschool Rotterdam) is located in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. It was created in 1988 by a large-scale merger of 19 higher education schools followed b ...
,
Hogeschool Inholland and
Codarts University for the Arts
Codarts University for the Arts ( nl, Codarts hogeschool voor de kunsten) is a Dutch vocational university in Rotterdam that teaches music, dance and circus. It was established in its present location in 2000.
History
Codarts can trace its origin ...
(Codarts hogeschool voor de kunsten), a vocational university that teaches music, dance and circus.
As there are many international and American schools scattered across Europe such as ASH (American International School of the Hague) Rotterdam also has its own international school by the name NAISR (
Nord Anglia International School Rotterdam
Nord Anglia International School Rotterdam (NAISR) is an International school in Hillegersberg, Netherlands, an area of Rotterdam. The school educates students from 3–18 years of age and has three academic areas: Early Years, Primary School an ...
). At NAISR children receive a multicultural education in a culturally diverse community and it offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme.
Unique to the city is the
Shipping & Transport College which offers masters, bachelors and vocational diplomas on all levels.
Culture
![HerdenkingVuurgrensRotterdam1940 2007 edit1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/HerdenkingVuurgrensRotterdam1940_2007_edit1.jpg)
Alongside
Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
, Rotterdam was
European Capital of Culture in 2001. The city has its own orchestra, the
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (RPhO; nl, Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest) is a Dutch symphony orchestra based in Rotterdam. Its primary venue is the concert hall De Doelen. The RPhO is considered one of the Netherlands' two principal orc ...
, with its well-regarded young music director
Lahav Shani
Lahav Shani ( he, להב שני; born 7 January 1989, Tel Aviv) is an Israeli conductor and pianist.
Biography
Shani is the son of Michael Shani, a choral conductor. He began piano lessons at age 6 with Hannah Shalgi. He continued his piano st ...
which plays at a large congress and concert building called ''
De Doelen
De Doelen is a concert venue and convention centre in Rotterdam, Netherlands. It was originally built in 1934 but then destroyed in 1940 during the German bombardment of Rotterdam in May 1940 at the outset of World War II. It was rebuilt in 19 ...
''. There are several theatres and cinemas, including
Cinerama
Cinerama is a widescreen process that originally projected images simultaneously from three synchronized 35mm projectors onto a huge, deeply curved screen, subtending 146° of arc. The trademarked process was marketed by the Cinerama corporati ...
.
The
Ahoy complex in the south of the city is used for pop concerts, exhibitions, tennis tournaments and other activities. A major
zoo
A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for Conservation biology, conservation purposes.
The term ''zoological g ...
called
Diergaarde Blijdorp
( ''Blijdorp Zoo''), officially Rotterdam Zoo, is a zoo located in the northwestern part of Rotterdam. It is one of the oldest zoos in the Netherlands, and has been operated by the ("Royal Rotterdam Zoo Foundation"). Divided into several zoogeog ...
is situated on the northwest side of Rotterdam, complete with a walkthrough sea aquarium called the
Oceanium
The Oceanium is a public aquarium that opened in 2001 in Diergaarde Blijdorp, a zoo in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The Oceanium lies in the expansion area of the zoo, which includes a new entrance and parking area, and was the biggest project to date ...
.
Rotterdam features some urban architecture projects, nightlife, and many summer festivals celebrating the city's multicultural population and identity, such as the Caribbean-inspired "
Summer Carnival", the Dance Parade, Rotterdam 666, the Metropolis pop festival and the
World Port Days
The World Port Days, also known as the World Harbour Days, (Dutch: ''Wereldhavendagen'') is a large, festive maritime event held annually in Rotterdam. It is one of the most highly attended events in the Netherlands.
Highlights
World Port Days i ...
. In the years 2005–2011 the city struggled with venues for pop music. Many of the venues suffered severe financial problems. This resulted in the disappearance of the major music venues Nighttown and WATT and smaller stages such as Waterfront, Exit, and Heidegger. The city has a few venues for
pop music
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...
like
Rotown
Rotown is a music venue and a bar-restaurant in Rotterdam, Netherlands. It is located close to the city centre, on the Nieuwe Binnenweg.
It is housed in a former Chinese restaurant and has been, although a small one, Rotterdam's main venue for r ...
,
Poortgebouw
The Poortgebouw is a national monument located at Stieltjesstraat 38 in the Kop van Zuid area of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It was built beside the River Maas in 1879 and experienced a range of uses until it was squatted October 3, 1980. It ha ...
and Annabel. The venue
WORM
Worms are many different distantly related bilateral animals that typically have a long cylindrical tube-like body, no limbs, and no eyes (though not always).
Worms vary in size from microscopic to over in length for marine polychaete wor ...
focuses on
experimental music
Experimental music is a general label for any music or music genre that pushes existing boundaries and genre definitions. Experimental compositional practice is defined broadly by exploratory sensibilities radically opposed to, and questioning of, ...
and related subcultural music.
There are also the
International Film Festival
A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more cinemas or screening venues, usually in a single city or region. Increasingly, film festivals show some films outdoors. Films may be of recent date and, depending upo ...
in January, the
Poetry International Festival
Poetry International Web is an international webzine and a poetry archive put together by a collective body of editors around the world and centrally edited in Rotterdam. It was originally launched in 2002. The site presents poetry from many coun ...
in June, the
North Sea Jazz Festival
The North Sea Jazz Festival is an annual festival held each second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. It used to be in The Hague but since 2006 it has been held in Rotterdam. This is because the Statenhal where the festival w ...
in July, the Valery Gergiev Festival in September, September in Rotterdam and the World of the Witte de With. In June 1970, The
Kralingen Music Festival (which featured
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
,
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, that became one of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock. Formed in 1965, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the Bay Area to ac ...
,
The Byrds
The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...
,
Canned Heat
Canned Heat is an American band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1965. The group is noted for its efforts to promote interest in blues music and its original artists and rock music. It was founded by two blues enthusiasts Alan Wilson and Bob ...
,
It's a Beautiful Day
It's a Beautiful Day is an American band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1967, featuring vocalist Pattie Santos along with violinist David LaFlamme and his wife, Linda LaFlamme, on keyboards.
David LaFlamme, who as a youth had once p ...
, and
Santana
Santana may refer to:
Transportation
* Volkswagen Santana, an automobile
* Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles
* Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer
Boats
* Santana 20, an American sailboat design by W. D. Sch ...
) was held and filmed in Rotterdam.
There is a healthy competition with
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
, which is often viewed as the cultural capital of the Netherlands. This rivalry is most common amongst the city's football supporters,
Feyenoord
Feyenoord Rotterdam () is a Dutch professional football club in Rotterdam, which plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Founded as Wilhelmina in 1908, the club changed to various names before settling on being called after its ...
(Rotterdam) and
Ajax
Ajax may refer to:
Greek mythology and tragedy
* Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea
* Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris
* ''Ajax'' (play), by the ancient Greek ...
(Amsterdam). There is a saying: "Amsterdam to party, Den Haag (The Hague) to live, Rotterdam to work". Another one, more popular by Rotterdammers, is "Money is earned in Rotterdam, distributed in The Hague and spent in Amsterdam". Another saying that reflects both the rivalry between Rotterdam and Amsterdam is "Amsterdam has it, Rotterdam doesn't need it". Bright magazine editor Erwin van der Zande notes that this phrase is on T-shirts in Rotterdam.
In terms of alternative culture, Rotterdam had from the 1960s until the 2000s a thriving
squatters movement which as well as housing thousands of people, occupied venues, social centres and so on. From this movement came clubs like Boogjes, Eksit, Nighttown, Vlerk and Waterfront. The
Poortgebouw
The Poortgebouw is a national monument located at Stieltjesstraat 38 in the Kop van Zuid area of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It was built beside the River Maas in 1879 and experienced a range of uses until it was squatted October 3, 1980. It ha ...
was squatted in the 1980s and quickly legalised.
Rotterdam is also the home of
Gabber
Gabber (; ) is a style of electronic dance music and a subgenre of hardcore techno, as well as the surrounding subculture. The music is more commonly referred to as Hardcore, which is characterised by fast beats, distorted & heavier kickdrums, ...
, a type of hardcore electronic music popular in the mid-1990s, with hard beats and samples. Groups like
Neophyte
A neophyte is a recent initiate or convert to a subject or belief.
Neophyte may also refer to:
Science
* Neophyte (botany), a plant species recently introduced to an area
As a proper noun Arts and entertainment
* Neophyte, a character class ...
and
Rotterdam Terror Corps
Rotterdam Terror Corps, often abbreviated RTC, is a Dutch gabber act formed in 1993. Originally formed by five Dutch DJs (DJ Distortion, MC Raw, DJ Reanimator, DJ Petrov, and DJ Rob), currently there is only one of the original DJs left, DJ Dist ...
(RTC) started in Rotterdam, playing at clubs like Parkzicht.
The main
cultural organisations in Amsterdam, such as the
Concertgebouw
The Royal Concertgebouw ( nl, Koninklijk Concertgebouw, ) is a concert hall in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch term "concertgebouw" translates into English as "concert building". Its superb acoustics place it among the finest concert halls i ...
and
Holland Festival
The Holland Festival () is the oldest and largest performing arts festival in the Netherlands. It takes place every June in Amsterdam. It comprises theatre, music, opera and modern dance. In recent years, multimedia, visual arts, film and archite ...
, have joint forces with similar organisations in Rotterdam, via A'R'dam. In 2007 these organisations published plans for co-operation. One of the goals is to strengthen the international position of culture and art in the Netherlands in the international context.
![ESC 2021 Rotterdam - Artwork at Ahoy Parking](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/ESC_2021_Rotterdam_-_Artwork_at_Ahoy_Parking.jpg)
On 30 August 2019, it was announced by the
European Broadcasting Union
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU; french: Union européenne de radio-télévision, links=no, UER) is an alliance of Public broadcasting, public service media organisations whose countries are within the European Broadcasting Area or who ar ...
and Dutch television broadcasters
AVROTROS
AVROTROS () is a Dutch radio and television broadcaster that is part of the Dutch public broadcasting system. It was founded in 2014 as the result of a merger between the Algemene Vereniging Radio Omroep (AVRO) and the Televisie Radio Omroep St ...
,
NOS and
NPO, that Rotterdam would host the
Eurovision Song Contest 2020
The Eurovision Song Contest 2020 was planned to be the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It would have taken place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, following the country's victory at the with the song "Arcade" by Duncan Laurence. The con ...
, following the Dutch victory at the contest in
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
,
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
with the song "
Arcade
Arcade most often refers to:
* Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine
** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware
** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board
* Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games
* ...
", performed by
Duncan Laurence
Duncan de Moor (; born 11 April 1994), known professionally as Duncan Laurence, is a Dutch singer and songwriter. He represented the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 with his song "Arcade" and went on to win the competition, giv ...
. However, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
The global COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Europe with its first confirmed case in Bordeaux, France, on 24 January 2020, and subsequently spread widely across the continent. By 17 March 2020, every country in Europe had confirmed a case, and all ...
, the 2020 contest was cancelled, and Rotterdam was later retained as host of the contest. The contest took place at the
Rotterdam Ahoy
Rotterdam Ahoy (formerly known as Ahoy Rotterdam or simply as Ahoy) is a convention centre and multi-purpose indoor arena located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Opened originally in 1950, the current complex consists of three main venues: a fairs an ...
, with the semi-finals taking place on 18 and 20 May 2021, and the final taking place on 22 May 2021. This was the first time that Rotterdam hosted the contest, and the first time that the Netherlands hosted the contest since , when it was held in
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
.
Museums
Rotterdam has many museums. Well known
museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
s are the
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
Municipal Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen () is an art museum in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The name of the museum is derived from the two most important collectors of Frans Jacob Otto Boijmans and Daniël George van Beuningen. It is located at ...
, the
Netherlands Architecture Institute
The Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI) was a cultural institute for architecture and urban development, which comprised a museum, an archive plus library and a platform for lectures and debates. The NAI was established in 1988 and was ba ...
, the
Wereldmuseum
The Wereldmuseum Rotterdam (formerly known as the Museum voor Land- en Volkenkunde) is an ethnographic museum, situated at Willemskade in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
The museum was founded in 1883 and shows more than 1800 ethnographic objects fro ...
, the
Kunsthal
The Kunsthal ( en, Art Hall) is an art museum in Rotterdam. It opened in 1992.
Overview
The museum is situated in the Museumpark of Rotterdam next to the Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam, and in the vicinity of the Museum Boijmans Van Beuni ...
,
Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art
Kunstinstituut Melly is a contemporary art gallery located in a former school building on Witte de Withstraat, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It was founded in 1990 and originally named after the street it was located on. It presents curated exhib ...
and the
Maritime Museum Rotterdam
The Maritime Museum Rotterdam is a maritime museum in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Dedicated to naval history, it was founded in 1874 by Prince Henry of the Netherlands.
Next to the Maritime Museum lies the open-air Maritime Museum Harbour, whic ...
. The Historical Museum Rotterdam has changed into
Museum Rotterdam
The Museum Rotterdam, until 2011 called the Historical Museum Rotterdam, is a museum about the history of Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It ...
which aims to exhibit Rotterdam as a contemporary transnational city, and not a past city.
Other museums include the
tax & customs museum and the
natural history museum
A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleontology, climatology, and more. ...
. At the historical shipyard and museum
Scheepswerf 'De Delft', the reconstruction of
ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which depended on the two colu ...
''
Delft
Delft () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam, to the southeast, ...
'' can be visited.
Green parts of Rotterdam
![Arboretum Trompenburg Nl 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Arboretum_Trompenburg_Nl_2.jpg)
A number of well-known parks in Rotterdam are:
*
Arboretum Trompenburg
Arboretum Trompenburg is a botanical garden in Rotterdam, Netherlands, which hosts a large collection of woody as well as herbaceous plants. It occupies an area of 7 ha and is situated 4 m below sea level, so a system of canals is used to drain th ...
in
Kralingen. The park dates back to 1820, but it was only after it was opened to the public in 1958 that the park, which was managed by the (Van Hoey) Smith family for generations, gained wider attention. The park, approximately 20 acres in size, contains approximately 4,000 different types of trees, shrubs and perennials, amongst others the national plant collections of
conifers
Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All extan ...
, ''
Quercus
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably '' ...
'', ''
Fagus
Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engle ...
'', ''
Rhododendron
''Rhododendron'' (; from Ancient Greek ''rhódon'' "rose" and ''déndron'' "tree") is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are nati ...
'', ''
Ligustrum
A privet is a flowering plant in the genus ''Ligustrum''. The genus contains about 50 species of erect, deciduous or evergreen shrubs, sometimes forming small or medium-sized trees, native to Europe, north Africa, Asia, many introduced and nat ...
'', ''
Rodgersia
'' Rodgersia aesculifolia''
''Rodgersia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Saxifragaceae family. ''Rodgersia'' are herbaceous perennials originating from east Asia.
Taxonomy
The review of the genus by Pan Jin-tang, in 1994 recognises ...
'' and ''
Hosta
''Hosta'' (, syn. ''Funkia'') is a genus of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies and occasionally by the Japanese name gibōshi. Hostas are widely cultivated as shade-tolerant foliage plants. The genus is currently placed in the fa ...
''.
* ''The Park'' (70 acres) on the Maas south of the Westzeedijk at the
Euromast
Euromast is an observation tower in Rotterdam, Netherlands, designed by Hugh Maaskant constructed between 1958 and 1960. It was specially built for the 1960 Floriade, and is a listed monument since 2010. The tower is a concrete structure with an ...
. The eastern half was constructed between 1852 and 1863 to a design by the firm Jan David Zocher. The western part was added in 1866 with some modifications.
National Heritage site
A national heritage site is a heritage site having a value that has been registered by a governmental agency as being of national importance to the cultural heritage or history of that country. Usually such sites are listed in a heritage registe ...
since 2011.
* ''Park Schoonoord'' (3 acres) is located in the
Scheepvaartkwartier
Scheepvaartkwartier (Maritime Quarter) is a neighborhood of Rotterdam, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherla ...
and was designed in its current form in 1860 by Jan David Zocher.
* The
''Kralingse Bos'' (500 acres) with the
Kralingse Plas (250 acres) is located in the
Kralingen district and has been based on a design by
Marinus Jan Granpré Molière
Marinus Jan Granpré Molière (Oudenbosch, 13 October 1883 – Wassenaar, 13 February 1972) was a Dutch architect. His work was part of the architecture event in the art competition at the 1924 Summer Olympics.
Granpré Molière was a professor ...
since 1928. In
1953
Events
January
* January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma.
* January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo.
* January 14
** Marshal Josip Broz Tito i ...
the Kralingse Bos is finally officially opened.
* The ''Vroesenpark'' in the district Rotterdam-Noord was laid out from
1929
This year marked the end of a period known in American history as the Roaring Twenties after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 ushered in a worldwide Great Depression. In the Americas, an agreement was brokered to end the Cristero War, a Catholic ...
to a plan by city architect W.G. Witteveen.
* The ''Zuiderpark'' (780 acres) is located in the district of
Charlois
Charlois () is a neighbourhood of the Dutch city of Rotterdam. It is located on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas
The Nieuwe Maas (; "New Meuse") is a distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch ...
. The park was laid out as a utility park from
1952
Events January–February
* January 26 – Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses.
* February 6
** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, becomes m ...
and not as an ornamental park.
Since 28 May 1994, Rotterdam has had the phenomeno
''Opzoomeren'' 15% of Rotterdam residents (about 100,000 residents) say they participate in this phenomenon. At the end of 2020, the city has a record number of 2,503 Opzoomer streets, which is mainly reflected in the construction of facade gardens.
![Dakpark Rotterdam](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Dakpark_Rotterdam.jpg)
The municipality of Rotterdam is encouraging the construction of
green roofs
A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage ...
. There is an attractive subsidy for roof owners and the city has now provided a number of municipal buildings with a green roof. As of January 1, 2020, the water storage capacity requirement has been increased to 30 liters of water storage capacity per square metre. This reduces the burden on the sewer system during heavy rainfall and reduces the risk of flooding on the street.
* The city's largest green roof is located on top of the
Groothandelsgebouw
The Groothandelsgebouw (meaning Wholesale Building or Offices) is an extensive building and monument in the center of Rotterdam, Netherlands next to the Central Station of the city. Completed in 1953 it is one of the first major buildings built af ...
next to Central Station.
* The ''Dakakker'' is the largest roof farm in Europe on top of the Schieblok.
* The ''Dakpark'' is an elongated, narrow park in the district
Bospolder-Tussendijken
Bospolder-Tussendijken is a neighborhood of Rotterdam, Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, establis ...
in Rotterdam-West. It has been built at a height of about nine meters, is about 85 meters wide and extends for about a kilometer from Hudson Square to near Marconi Square.
* The municipality of Rotterdam will provide the flat roof of the conference and concert building
De Doelen
De Doelen is a concert venue and convention centre in Rotterdam, Netherlands. It was originally built in 1934 but then destroyed in 1940 during the German bombardment of Rotterdam in May 1940 at the outset of World War II. It was rebuilt in 19 ...
with greenery and water storage. The design for the roof was made by Kraijvanger Architects.
Architecture
![Kop van Zuid DSCF5860](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Kop_van_Zuid_DSCF5860.jpg)
Rotterdam has become world famous because of its modern and groundbreaking architecture. Throughout the years the city has been nicknamed ''
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
at the Meuse'' and ''The architectural capital of the Netherlands'' both for its skyline and because it is home to internationally leading architectural firms involved in the design of famous buildings and bridges in other big cities. Examples include
OMA (
Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas (; born 17 November 1944) is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. He is often cited as a re ...
),
MVRDV
MVRDV is a Rotterdam, Netherlands-based architecture and urban design practice founded in 1993. The name is an acronym for the founding members: Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, and Nathalie de Vries.
History
Maas and Van Rijs worked at OMA, De Vr ...
,
Neutelings & Riedijk and
Erick van Egeraat
Erick van Egeraat (; born 1956) is a Dutch architect and author. He heads the architectural practice based in Rotterdam with offices in Moscow, Budapest and Prague. He is best known for his projects of ING Group Headquarters in Budapest, Drents Mu ...
. It has the reputation in being a platform for architectural development and education through the NAi (
Netherlands Architecture Institute
The Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI) was a cultural institute for architecture and urban development, which comprised a museum, an archive plus library and a platform for lectures and debates. The NAI was established in 1988 and was ba ...
), which is open to the public and has a variety of exhibitions on architecture and urban planning issues and prior the
Berlage Institute The Berlage Institute was an independent unaccredited postgraduate school of architecture in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands, that operated in 1990-2012. Named after the Dutch architect Hendrik Petrus Berlage, the Berlage Institute had an i ...
, a postgraduate laboratory of architecture. The city has 38 skyscrapers and 352 high-rises and has many skyscrapers planned or under construction. The top 5 of highest buildings in the Netherlands consists entirely of buildings in Rotterdam. It is home to the tallest building in the Netherlands, the
Maastoren
The Maastoren (Dutch for ''Meuse Tower'') is with its height of the second tallest building in the Netherlands. The office building is situated on the bank of the Nieuwe Maas, after which the building is named, in the neighborhood Kop van Zui ...
with a height of 165 meters. In 2021, the
Zalmhaven Tower is completed with a height of 215 meters, and is now the new tallest building in the Netherlands.
History
In 1898, the high-rise office building the White House (in Dutch
Witte Huis
The Witte Huis () or White House is a building and National Heritage Site in Rotterdam, Netherlands, built in 1898 in the Art Nouveau style.Rijksmonument report The building is tall, with 10 floors. It was also the first ''hoogbouw'' (liter ...
) was completed, at that time the tallest office building in Europe.
In the first decades of the 20th century, some influential architecture in the modern style was built in Rotterdam. Notable are the
Van Nelle fabriek (1929) a monument of modern factory design by
Brinkman en Van der Vlugt, the
Jugendstil
''Jugendstil'' ("Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German counterpart of ...
clubhouse of the
Royal Maas Yacht Club
The Royal Maas Yacht Club ( nl, Koninklijke Roei- en Zeilvereniging De Maas) is a Dutch yacht club and rowing club located in the centre of Rotterdam.
Members are able to engage in sailing and rowing and the yacht club's name, de Maas, stems fro ...
designed by Hooijkaas jr. en Brinkman (1909), and
Feyenoord
Feyenoord Rotterdam () is a Dutch professional football club in Rotterdam, which plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Founded as Wilhelmina in 1908, the club changed to various names before settling on being called after its ...
's football stadium
De Kuip
Stadion Feijenoord (), more commonly known by its nickname De Kuip (, the Tub), is a stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands. It was completed in 1937. The name is derived from the Feijenoord district in Rotterdam, and from the club with the same na ...
(1936) also by
Brinkman en Van der Vlugt. The architect
J. J. P. Oud was a famous Rotterdammer in those days. The Van Nelle Factory obtained the status of UNESCO
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
in 2014.
During the early stages of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
the centre of Rotterdam was
bombed by the German
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
, destroying many of the older buildings in the centre of the city. After an initial crisis re-construction, the centre of Rotterdam has become the site of the ambitious new architecture.
![Euromast2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Euromast2.jpg)
Rotterdam is also famous for its
Lijnbaan
The Lijnbaan is the main shopping street of Rotterdam. It was opened in 1953, as the main pedestrian street in the new shopping district, after the old shopping district was completely destroyed during the bombing of Rotterdam by the German Luft ...
1952 by architects Broek en Bakema, Peperklip by architect Carel Weeber, Kubuswoningen or
cube house
Cube houses ( nl, kubuswoningen) are a set of innovative houses built in Helmond and Rotterdam in the Netherlands, designed by architect Piet Blom and based on the concept of "living as an urban roof": high density housing with sufficient space o ...
s designed by architect
Piet Blom 1984.
The newest landmark in Rotterdam is the
Markthal, designed by architect firm
MVRDV
MVRDV is a Rotterdam, Netherlands-based architecture and urban design practice founded in 1993. The name is an acronym for the founding members: Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, and Nathalie de Vries.
History
Maas and Van Rijs worked at OMA, De Vr ...
. In addition to that, there are many international well-known architects based in Rotterdam like
O.M.A (
Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas (; born 17 November 1944) is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. He is often cited as a re ...
),
Neutelings & Riedijk and
Erick van Egeraat
Erick van Egeraat (; born 1956) is a Dutch architect and author. He heads the architectural practice based in Rotterdam with offices in Moscow, Budapest and Prague. He is best known for his projects of ING Group Headquarters in Budapest, Drents Mu ...
to name a few. Two architectural landmarks are located in the Lloydkwartier: the STC college building and the
Schiecentrale 4b. The construction of the Depot of the
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
Municipal Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen () is an art museum in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The name of the museum is derived from the two most important collectors of Frans Jacob Otto Boijmans and Daniël George van Beuningen. It is located at ...
was started in 2003 and was officially opened by king Willem-Alexander on 5 November 2021. It is the world's first fully accessible art depot.
Rotterdam also houses several of the tallest structures in the Netherlands.
* The
Erasmusbrug
The Erasmusbrug (English: "Erasmus Bridge") is a combined cable-stayed and bascule bridge, construction began in 1986 and was completed in 1996. It crosses the Nieuwe Maas in the centre of Rotterdam, connecting the north and south parts of this ci ...
(1996) is a 790-meter (2,600 ft) cable-stayed bridge linking the north and south of Rotterdam. It is held up by a tall pylon with a characteristic bend, earning the bridge its nickname 'De Zwaan' ('the Swan').
* Rotterdam has the tallest residential building in the Netherlands: the
De Zalmhaven Tower ().
* Rotterdam is also home to the tallest office building '
Maastoren
The Maastoren (Dutch for ''Meuse Tower'') is with its height of the second tallest building in the Netherlands. The office building is situated on the bank of the Nieuwe Maas, after which the building is named, in the neighborhood Kop van Zui ...
' () which houses
Deloitte
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (), commonly referred to as Deloitte, is an international professional services network headquartered in London, England. Deloitte is the largest professional services network by revenue and number of profession ...
. This office tower surpassed the 'Delftse Poort' () which houses Nationale-Nederlanden insurance company, part of
ING Group
The ING Group ( nl, ING Groep) is a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Amsterdam. Its primary businesses are retail banking, direct banking, commercial banking, investment banking, wholesale bankin ...
as tallest office tower in 2009.
* The skyline of Rotterdam also houses the tall
Euromast
Euromast is an observation tower in Rotterdam, Netherlands, designed by Hugh Maaskant constructed between 1958 and 1960. It was specially built for the 1960 Floriade, and is a listed monument since 2010. The tower is a concrete structure with an ...
, which is a major
tourist
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mo ...
attraction. It was built in 1960, initially reaching a height of ; in 1970, the Euromast was extended by .
Rotterdam has a reputation for being a platform for architectural development and education through the Berlage Institute, a postgraduate laboratory of architecture, and the NAi (
Netherlands Architecture Institute
The Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI) was a cultural institute for architecture and urban development, which comprised a museum, an archive plus library and a platform for lectures and debates. The NAI was established in 1988 and was ba ...
), which is open to the public and has a variety of exhibitions on architecture and urban planning issues.
Over 30 new highrise projects are being developed. A Guardian journalist wrote in 2013 that "All this is the consequence of the city suffering a bombardment of two things: bombs and architects."
Sports
Rotterdam calls itself ''Sportstad'' (City of Sports). The city annually organises several world-renowned sporting events. Some examples are the
Rotterdam Marathon
The Rotterdam Marathon, currently branded NN Rotterdam Marathon, is an annual marathon that has been held in Rotterdam, Netherlands since 1981. It has been held in April every year since the third edition in 1984 and attracts many top athletes. ...
, the
World Port Tournament
The World Port Tournament is an international baseball tournament held at the ''Neptunus Familiestadion'' in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The tournament has been held every other year ( excluded) in odd-numbered years since , alternating with the H ...
, and the
Rotterdam World Tennis Tournament. Rotterdam also organises one race of the
Red Bull Air Race World Championship
The World Championship Air Race is a series of air races sanctioned by the World Air Sports Federation (FAI). Originally established in 2003 as the Red Bull Air Race, and created by Red Bull GmbH, the event involves competitors navigating a ...
and the car racing event
Monaco aan de Maas
Monaco aan de Maas (Monaco at the Maas) is a Formula One demonstration and a parade of international racecars and racing drivers, held on the streets of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. In 2006 the event was renamed to Bavaria City Racing, also so ...
(Monaco at the Meuse).
The city is also the home of many sports clubs and some historic and iconic athletes.
Football
![Rotterdam feyenoord stadion 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Rotterdam_feyenoord_stadion_1.jpg)
Rotterdam is the home of three professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
clubs, being
first tier clubs
Feyenoord
Feyenoord Rotterdam () is a Dutch professional football club in Rotterdam, which plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Founded as Wilhelmina in 1908, the club changed to various names before settling on being called after its ...
,
Sparta
Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referre ...
and SBV Excelsior, Excelsior.
Feyenoord, founded in 1908 and the dominant of the three professional clubs, has won fifteen national titles since the introduction of professional football in the Netherlands. It won the UEFA Champions League, Champions league as the first Dutch club in 1970 and won the World Cup for club teams in the same year. In 1974, they were the first Dutch club to win the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Cup and in 2002, Feyenoord won the UEFA Cup again. In 2008, the year of their 100-year-anniversary, Feyenoord won the KNVB-cup.
Seating 51,480, its 1937 stadium, called ''Stadion Feijenoord'' but popularly known as
De Kuip
Stadion Feijenoord (), more commonly known by its nickname De Kuip (, the Tub), is a stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands. It was completed in 1937. The name is derived from the Feijenoord district in Rotterdam, and from the club with the same na ...
('the Tub'), is the second-largest in the country, after the Amsterdam Arena. De Kuip, located in the southeast of the city, has hosted many international football games, including the final of UEFA Euro 2000, Euro 2000 and has been awarded a FIFA 5 star ranking. There are concrete plans to build a new stadium with a capacity of at least 63,000 seats.
Sparta, founded in 1888 and situated in the northwest of Rotterdam, won the national title six times; Excelsior (founded 1902), in the northeast, has never won any.
Rotterdam also has three Hoofdklasse, fourth tier clubs, SC Feijenoord (Feyenoord Amateurs), PVV DOTO and TOGR.
Rotterdam is and has been the home to many great football players and coaches, among whom:
Marathon
![Hardlopers marathon in Rotterdam](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Hardlopers_marathon_in_Rotterdam.JPG)
Rotterdam has its own annual international Rotterdam Marathon, marathon, which offers one of the fastest courses in the world. From 1985 until 1998, the Marathon world record progression, world record was set in Rotterdam, first by Carlos Lopes and later in 1988 by Belayneh Densamo.
In 1998, the world record for women was set by Tegla Loroupe, in a time of 2:20.47. Loroupe won the Rotterdam Marathon three consecutive times, from 1997 to 1999.
The track record for men is held by Bashir Abdi, who ran a time of 2:03.36 in 2021. The female record was set in 2012 when Tiki Gelana finished the race in 2:18.58. Gelana went on to become the 2012 Olympic champion in London, a few months later.
The marathon starts and ends on the ''
Coolsingel
Coolsingel is a street in central Rotterdam. It is located in the Cool district. The street leads from the Hofplein to the Churchillplein. Plans were announced in 2016 to reduce traffic congestion on the street. The redevelopment is expected to ...
'' in the heart of Rotterdam. It attracts a total of 900.000 visitors.
Tennis
Since 1972, Rotterdam hosts the indoor hard court Rotterdam Open, ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, part of the Association of Tennis Professionals, ATP Tour. The event was first organised in 1972 when it was won by Arthur Ashe. Ashe went on to win the tournament two more times, making him the singles title record holder.
Former The Championships, Wimbledon, Wimbledon winner Richard Krajicek became the tournament director after his retirement in 2000. The latest edition of the tournament attracted a total of 116.354 visitors.
Tour de France
In November 2008 Rotterdam was chosen as the host of the Grand Départ of the 2010 Tour de France.
Rotterdam won the selection over the Dutch city of Utrecht. Germany's Düsseldorf had previously also expressed interest in hosting. The Amaury Sport Organization (ASO), the organizer of the Tour de France, said in a statement on its web site that it chose Rotterdam because, in addition to it being another big city, like London, to showcase the use of bikes for urban transportation, it provided a location well-positioned considering the rest of the route envisioned for the 2010 event.
The start in Rotterdam was the fifth in the Netherlands. The prologue was a individual time trial crossing the centre of the city. The first regular stage left the
Erasmusbrug
The Erasmusbrug (English: "Erasmus Bridge") is a combined cable-stayed and bascule bridge, construction began in 1986 and was completed in 1996. It crosses the Nieuwe Maas in the centre of Rotterdam, connecting the north and south parts of this ci ...
and went south, towards Brussels.
The second stage of 2015 Tour de France, 2015 edition took the riders through Rotterdam on their way to Neeltje Jans in Zeeland.
Rowing
Members of the student rowing club Skadi (rowing club), Skadi were part of the 'Holland Acht', winning a gold medal at the Rowing at the Summer Olympics, Olympics in 1996 Summer Olympics, 1996. Since the opening in April 2013, Rotterdam hosts the rowing venue Willem-Alexander Baan that hosted the 2016 World Rowing Championships for Seniors, U23 and Juniors.
Field hockey
In field hockey, Rotterdam has the largest hockey club in the Netherlands, HC Rotterdam, with its own stadium in the north of the city and nearly 2,400 members. The first men's and women's teams both play on the highest level in the Dutch ''Hoofdklasse''.
Baseball
Rotterdam is home to the most successful European baseball team, DOOR Neptunus, Neptunus Rotterdam, winning the most European Cup (baseball), European Cups.
Boxing
![Bep van Klaveren, Olympische Spelen 1928 Amsterdam](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Bep_van_Klaveren%2C_Olympische_Spelen_1928_Amsterdam.jpg)
Rotterdam has a long boxing tradition starting with Bep van Klaveren (1907–1992), aka 'The Dutch Windmill', Gold medal winner of the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, followed by professional boxers like Regilio Tuur and Don Diego Poeder.
Swimming
Rotterdam's swimming tradition started with Marie Braun aka Zus (sister) Braun, who was coached to a gold medal at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics by her mother Ma Braun, and 3 European titles 3 years later in Paris. In her career as 14-time national champ, she broke 6 world records. Ma Braun later also coached the Rotterdam-born, three-times Olympic champion Rie Mastenbroek during the Berlin Olympics in 1936. In later years Inge de Bruijn became a Rotterdam sports icon as triple Olympic Gold medal winner in 2000 and triple European Gold medal winner in 2001.
Sailing
Olympic Gold medalist, in the O-Jolle during sailing at the 1936 Summer Olympics, 1936 Olympics, Daan Kagchelland was born in Rotterdam and member of the :nl:Rotterdamsche Zeil Vereeniging, Rotterdamsche Zeil Vereeniging. The Kralingse plas was and is still a source of Olympic sailors like Koos de Jong, Ben Verhagen, Henny Vegter, Serge Kats and Margriet Matthijsse.
Motorcycle racing
Motorcycle speedway was staged in the Feyenoord Stadium after the second world war. The team which raced in a Dutch league was known as the Feyenoord Tigers. The team included Dutch riders and some English and Australian riders.
Sportsmen of the year election
Since 1986, the city has selected its best sportsman, woman and team at the Rotterdam Sportsman of the year, Rotterdam Sports Awards Election, held in December.
Other famous Rotterdam athletes
![Francisco Elson](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Francisco_Elson.jpg)
*Mia Audina, a retired Indonesia-born badminton player, living in Rotterdam.
*Nelli Cooman, a Surinamese-born retired athlete who held the 60 metres, 60 m dash world record, and was the world and European champion in that event.
*Robert Doornbos, a Rotterdam-born race car driver, who competed in the Formula One.
*Robert Eenhoorn, a Rotterdam-born retired MLB shortstop, who competed for the New York Yankees, the Anaheim Angels and the New York Mets.
*Dex Elmont, a Rotterdam-born judoka, who finished second in the European championships in 2009 in the division.
*Guillaume Elmont, a Rotterdam-born judoka, who became world champion in 2005 in the division.
*Francisco Elson, a Rotterdam-born basketball player who played in the NBA, won the NBA finals in 2007 with the San Antonio Spurs.
*Ignisious Gaisah, a Ghanaian-born long jumper with a personal best of , residing in Rotterdam since 2001. Gaisah is a multiple medal winner in several international events, both as a citizen of Ghana and the Netherlands.
*Francis Hoenselaar, a Rotterdam-born female darts player, generally recognised as the best Dutch female darts player ever.
*Robert Lathouwers, an athlete born in a Rotterdam suburb, specialised in the 800 m. Lathouwers gained international notoriety when he got disqualified after shoving Irish athlete David McCarthy (born 1983), David McCarthy in the 2010 European Championships.
*Fatima Moreira de Melo, a Rotterdam-born, three-times Olympic champion in field hockey. Moreira de Melo is a professional poker player.
*Piet Roozenburg, a Rotterdam-born draughts player, who was the world champion from 1948 to 1956 and the 8-time Dutch champion.
*Betty Stöve, a Rotterdam-born retired female tennis double specialist and 10-time Grand Slam winner.
*Ingmar Vos, a Rotterdam-born decathlete, with a personal best of 8224 points.
Yearly events
Rotterdam hosts several annual events unique to the city. It hosts the ''Zomercarnaval'' (Summer carnaval), the second-largest Caribbean carnival in Europe, originally called the Antillean carnival. Other events include: ''North Sea Jazz Festival'', the largest Jazz festival in Europe, and a three-day long maritime extravaganza called the ''World Port Days'' celebrating the Port of Rotterdam.
* January: "Zesdaagse van Rotterdam" "(six-day track-cycling race) – Rotterdam Ahoy
* January: International Film Festival Rotterdam
* February:
**Rotterdam Open ABN AMRO ATP 500 Tennis Tournament – Rotterdam Ahoy
** Art Rotterdam - international art fair at Van Nellefabriek
* April–June:
**
Rotterdam Marathon
The Rotterdam Marathon, currently branded NN Rotterdam Marathon, is an annual marathon that has been held in Rotterdam, Netherlands since 1981. It has been held in April every year since the third edition in 1984 and attracts many top athletes. ...
**Poetry International Web, Poetry International
**Koningsdag Festival (27 April)
** CHIO Rotterdam
** Roparun
* July:
**
North Sea Jazz Festival
The North Sea Jazz Festival is an annual festival held each second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. It used to be in The Hague but since 2006 it has been held in Rotterdam. This is because the Statenhal where the festival w ...
(second weekend of July)
**
Summer Carnival
* August:
**Pleinbioscoop
**Dag van de Romantische Muziek (Romantic music festival)
* September:
** The World Port Days
* November/December (Last weekend before 5 December (Sinterklaas))
**Boterletterwedstrijden (Sailing regatta for International classes)
Transportation
Rotterdam offers connections by international, national, regional and local public transport systems, as well as by the Dutch motorway network.
Motorways
There are several motorways to/from Rotterdam. The following four are part of its 'Ring' (ring road):
*A20 motorway (Netherlands), A20 (Ring North):
Hook of Holland
Hook of Holland ( nl, Hoek van Holland, ) is a town in the southwestern corner of Holland, hence the name; ''hoek'' means "corner" and was the word in use before the word ''kaap'' – "cape", from Portuguese ''cabo'' – became Dutch. The English t ...
– ''Rotterdam'' – Gouda, South Holland, Gouda
*A16 motorway (Netherlands), A16 (Ring East): ''Rotterdam'' – Breda (- Antwerp – Paris)
*A15 motorway (Netherlands), A15 (Ring South): Europoort – ''Rotterdam'' – Nijmegen
*A4 motorway (Netherlands), A4 (Ring West). ''Rotterdam'' -
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
(-
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
)
The following two other motorways also serve Rotterdam:
*A13 motorway (Netherlands), A13, (
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
-)
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
– Delft – ''Rotterdam''
*A29 motorway (Netherlands), A29, (Antwerp -) Bergen op Zoom – ''Rotterdam''
Airport
Much smaller than the international hub Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Schiphol Airport,
Rotterdam The Hague Airport
Rotterdam The Hague Airport (formerly ''Rotterdam Airport'', ''Vliegveld Zestienhoven'' in Dutch language, Dutch), is a minor international airport serving Rotterdam, the Netherlands' second largest city, and The Hague, its administrative and ...
(formerly known as ''Zestienhoven'') is the third-largest airport in the country, behind Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Schiphol Airport and Eindhoven Airport. Located north of the city, it has shown solid growth over the past five years, mostly caused by the growth of the low-cost carrier market. For business travellers, Rotterdam The Hague Airport offers advantages in terms of rapid handling of passengers and baggage. Environmental regulations make further growth uncertain.
Train
![Rtd CS-III](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Rtd_CS-III.JPG)
Rotterdam is well connected to the Dutch railway network, and has several international connections:
* Southern direction Dordrecht, Breda, Eindhoven, Flushing, Netherlands, Flushing (Vlissingen) (also international trains to Belgium/France)
* Western direction
Hook of Holland
Hook of Holland ( nl, Hoek van Holland, ) is a town in the southwestern corner of Holland, hence the name; ''hoek'' means "corner" and was the word in use before the word ''kaap'' – "cape", from Portuguese ''cabo'' – became Dutch. The English t ...
(reopened as a metro line in 2019)
* North-Western direction
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
, Leiden,
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
* Northern direction (high-speed rail) Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Schiphol,
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
* North-Eastern direction Utrecht and further
* A fifth alternative train system to the Hague, the Hofpleinlijn, Hofplein Line was converted to the light rail system RandstadRail, Randstadrail in 2006.
* The city is often mentioned as the terminus of the Eurasian Land Bridge.
Railway stations
*Rotterdam Centraal railway station, Rotterdam Centraal – Rotterdam's main station
*Rotterdam Alexander railway station, Rotterdam Alexander – Eastern part of Rotterdam
*Rotterdam Blaak railway station, Rotterdam Blaak – Close to the centre of Rotterdam
*Rotterdam Lombardijen railway station, Rotterdam Lombardijen – Most Southern part of Rotterdam
*Rotterdam Noord railway station, Rotterdam Noord – Northern part of Rotterdam
*Rotterdam Zuid railway station, Rotterdam Zuid – Northern part of the Southern part of Rotterdam
*Rotterdam Stadion railway station, Rotterdam Stadion – A station near the Feyenoord stadium, open in connection with football matches and music concerts
The main connections:
* Direct international services to Belgium and France via high-speed train system: Thalys
* International trains to the south of France and London via the Eurostar
*Frequent international trains to Antwerp and Brussels, Belgium
* Frequent services within the Netherlands:
** Intercity line to
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
, Leiden, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Schiphol airport and
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
(north)
** Intercity line to Utrecht and on to Deventer or Enschede (the east), Leeuwarden (north-west) or Groningen (city), Groningen (north-east)
** Intercity line to Dordrecht, Roosendaal and on to Flushing, Netherlands, Vlissingen (south west)
** Intercity line to Dordrecht, Breda, Tilburg, Eindhoven and Venlo (south east)
** Night services every hour connecting every day of the week to Delft, The Hague, Leiden, Schiphol airport, Amsterdam, and, with a detour, Utrecht. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday night services (either directly or via a detour) to Den Bosch, Eindhoven, Tilburg, Roosendaal.
** Several semi-fast services and local trains originate or call at Rotterdam Centraal; semi-fast services Amsterdam-Breda.
* Detailed information available from the site of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Dutch Railways)
In Rotterdam, public transport services are provided by the following companies:
* NS (Dutch Railways): national train services
* RET (Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram): Tram, city-bus, metro, randstadrail and ferry-services in Rotterdam and surrounding cities
* Arriva Netherlands: regional bus services
* Connexxion: regional bus services
* Qbuzz: regional bus services
* Veolia: regional bus services.
Metro
In 1968, Rotterdam was the first Dutch city to open a Rapid transit, metro system. The metro system consists of three main lines, each of which has its own variants. The metro network has of rail tracks, and there are 70 stations, which makes it the biggest of the Benelux. 5 lines operate the system; 3 lines (A, B and C) on the east–west line, and two (D and E) on the north–south line. Line E (Randstadrail) connects Rotterdam with The Hague as of December 2011.
![15-05-2007 Metro Maashaven](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/15-05-2007_Metro_Maashaven.jpg)
Tram
The Trams in Rotterdam, Rotterdam tramway network offers 9 regular tram lines and 4 special tram lines with a total length of . Service
Tramlines in Rotterdam :
* 2: (Rotterdam) Charlois – Rotterdam Lombardijen NS – (Rotterdam) Keizerswaard (runs only to the southern part of the city)
* 4: (Rotterdam) Molenlaan – Rotterdam Centraal – (Rotterdam) Marconiplein
* 7: (Rotterdam) Oostplein – Rotterdam Centraal – (Rotterdam) Willemsplein
* 8: (Rotterdam) Spangen – Rotterdam Centraal – (Rotterdam) Kleiweg
* 20: Rotterdam Centraal – Rotterdam Lombardijen NS – (Rotterdam) Lombardijen
* 21: (Schiedam) Woudhoek – Station Schiedam Centrum – Rotterdam Centraal – (Rotterdam) De Esch
* 23: (Rotterdam) Marconiplein – Rotterdam Centraal – (Rotterdam) Beverwaard
* 24: (Vlaardingen) Holy – Station Schiedam Centrum – Rotterdam Centraal – (Rotterdam) De Esch
* 25: (Rotterdam) Schiebroek – Rotterdam Centraal – (Barendrecht) Carnisselande
![RET 2022 Rotterdam Centraal 15-05-2007](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/RET_2022_Rotterdam_Centraal_15-05-2007.JPG)
Special tram lines:
* 10: Historical tram line, only runs in summer and throughout the whole city for tourist information. Using historical Rotterdam Trams from the year 1931.
* 18: Tramline from Rotterdam Central Station towards Park, runs only at the Dunya Festival and during the Rotterdam World Port Days.
* 12: Rotterdam Centraal – Stadion Feyenoord or Rotterdam Centraal – Het Kasteel ('The Castle', Sparta Stadium). Football tramline, only for big fixtures at Stadion Feyenoord or Het Kasteel.
* Snert-tram: Historical tram, only in winter as a tourist tram through Rotterdam. Passengers are provided with a cup of "snert"; Rotterdam dialect for erwtensoep (pea soup). Rolling stock is a historical Rotterdam tram from 1968.
* IJsjes-tram: Summer version of the snert tram, providing tourists with ijsjes (ice cream) rather than snert.
![Rotterdam Watertaxi (4)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Rotterdam_Watertaxi_%284%29.JPG)
Bus
Rotterdam offers 55 city bus lines with a total length of .
RET runs buses in the city of Rotterdam and surrounding places like Barendrecht, Ridderkerk, Rhoon, Poortugaal, Schiedam, Vlaardingen, Delft and Capelle aan den IJssel.
Arriva Netherlands, Connexxion, Qbuzz and Veolia run buses from other cities to Rotterdam.
An automated bus service, ParkShuttle, runs between Kralingse Zoom metro station and the Rivium Business Park in Capelle aan den IJssel.
The RoMeO Foundation
The Foundation RoMeO (Rotterdam Public Transport Museum and Exploitation of Oldtimers) was founded in 1997 to bring together various historical transport collections into one collection. Currently, the joint collection consists of more than sixty trams, twenty buses and an underground metro dating from 1967. Since 2010 the Rotterdam public transport museum is housed in the monumental tram depot Hillegersberg from 1923.
Waterbus
The Waterbus network consists of seven lines. The mainline (Line 20) stretches from Rotterdam to Dordrecht. The ferry carries about 130 passengers, and there is space for 60 bicycles. The stops between Rotterdam and Dordrecht are:
* Rotterdam
Erasmusbrug
The Erasmusbrug (English: "Erasmus Bridge") is a combined cable-stayed and bascule bridge, construction began in 1986 and was completed in 1996. It crosses the Nieuwe Maas in the centre of Rotterdam, connecting the north and south parts of this ci ...
– Krimpen aan den IJssel Stormpolder – Ridderkerk De Schans – Alblasserdam Kade – Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht Noordeinde – Papendrecht Westeind – Dordrecht Merwekade.
Ferry
P&O Ferries have daily sailings from Europoort to Kingston upon Hull in the UK.
International relations
Rotterdam has city and port connections throughout the world. In 2008, the city had 13 twin towns and sister cities, sister cities, 12 partner cities, and 4 sister ports.
Since 2008, the City of Rotterdam doesn't forge new sister or partner connections. Sister and partner cities are not a priority in international relations.
On 15 March 2017, the Turkish president expressed his wish that Istanbul should no longer be the twin town of Rotterdam. A speaker of the Rotterdam municipality then explained that the two cities have no official partnership. Both authorities do cooperate often.
Twin towns – Sister cities
Rotterdam is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with:
* Baltimore (since 1985)
* Burgas (since 1976)[
* Cologne (since 1958)][
* Constanța (since 1976)][
* Dresden (since 1988)][
* Esch-sur-Alzette (since 1958)][
* Gdańsk (since 1977)][
* Havana (since 1983)][
* Lille (since 1958)][
* Liège (since 1958)][
* ]Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
(since 1979)[
* Saint Petersburg (since 1984)][
* Turin (since 1958)][
]
Partner cities
* Antwerp (since 1940)[
* Basel (since 1945)][
* Bratislava (since 1991)][
* Budapest (since 1991)][
* Duisburg (since 1950)][
* Durban (since 1991)][
* Kingston upon Hull, Hull (since 1936)][
* Jakarta (since 1983)][
* Nuremberg (since 1961)][
* Osaka Prefecture (since 1984)][
* Oslo (since 1945)][
* Prague (since 1991)][
]
Sister ports
* Kobe (since 1967)[
* Busan (since 1987)][
* Seattle (since 1969)][
* Tokyo (since 1989)][
]
Places named after Rotterdam
* Nieuw Rotterdam, Nickerie District, Suriname (1866-1875)
* Rotterdam, New York, United States
* Rotterdam, Limpopo, South Africa
Notable residents
* Pierre Bayle (1647–1706), enlightenment philosopher.
* Leo Beenhakker (born 1942), football coach.
* Giovanni van Bronckhorst (born 1975), former footballer with Feyenoord
Feyenoord Rotterdam () is a Dutch professional football club in Rotterdam, which plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Founded as Wilhelmina in 1908, the club changed to various names before settling on being called after its ...
.
* Jules Deelder (1944–2019), poet, writer, DJ, night mayor.
* Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (; ; English: Erasmus of Rotterdam or Erasmus;''Erasmus'' was his baptismal name, given after St. Erasmus of Formiae. ''Desiderius'' was an adopted additional name, which he used from 1496. The ''Roterodamus'' wa ...
(1466–1536), philosopher and humanist.
* Pim Fortuyn (1948–2002), assassinated politician.
* Leo Fuld (1912–1997), singer.
* Bernard Mandeville (1670–1733), philosopher, political economist and satirist.
* Piet Pieterszoon Hein (1577–1629), naval fleet officer and privateer.
* Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas (; born 17 November 1944) is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. He is often cited as a re ...
(born 1944), internationally renowned architect.
* Willem de Kooning (1904–1997), painter.
* Coen Moulijn (1937–2011), football player of Feyenoord
Feyenoord Rotterdam () is a Dutch professional football club in Rotterdam, which plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Founded as Wilhelmina in 1908, the club changed to various names before settling on being called after its ...
.
* Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, Johan van Oldebarnevelt (1547–1619), statesman of the Dutch Revolt.
* Colonel Tom Parker (1909–1997), manager of Elvis Presley.
* Robin van Persie (born 1983), Feyenoord
Feyenoord Rotterdam () is a Dutch professional football club in Rotterdam, which plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Founded as Wilhelmina in 1908, the club changed to various names before settling on being called after its ...
forward and Dutch international footballer.
* Marten Toonder (1912–2005), comic writer.
* Angela Visser (born 1966), model, actress, Miss Nederland, Miss Holland 1988 and Miss Universe 1989.
In popular culture
Rotterdam features in Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall" (1835).
Rotterdam features in J.T. Sheridan Le Fanu's "Strange Event in the Life of Schalken the Painter" (1839).
In season 1, episode 2 of The Golden Girls (season 1), ''The Golden Girls'' ("Guess Who's Coming to the Wedding?"), Dorothy Zbornak, Dorothy reminisces how her ex-husband, Stan, would buy her tulips after they fought. "Towards the end, our house looked like Easter in Rotterdam."
In 1996, the United Kingdom, British band The Beautiful South recorded a song named after this region titled "Rotterdam (or Anywhere)."
Part of Jackie Chan's 1998 film ''Who Am I? (1998 film), Who Am I?'' is set in Rotterdam.
''Ender's Shadow'', part of the series ''Ender's Game'' is partially set in Rotterdam.
In the 2004 video game ''Hitman: Contracts'', the missions "Rendezvous in Rotterdam" and "Deadly Cargo" are both set in Rotterdam.
The 2017 Laurence Olivier Awards, 2017 Laurence Olivier Award-winning play ''Rotterdam (play), Rotterdam'', written by Jon Brittain, is set in the city.
In ''Battlefield V'', this city is used as a map released on its two of its maps on launch, which are Rotterdam and Devastation, and featured the British Army fighting against the Wehrmacht and according to its history, the white building was almost left untouched by the bombing during WWII and that building can be seen on both in-game and real world.
See also
* World's busiest ports, by type of port (a "list of lists")
References
Footnotes
Notes
Bibliography
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External links
Rotterdam City Council (English)
Rotterdam Tourism Board
VisitRotterdam.org (Unofficial)
{{Authority control
Rotterdam,
Cities in the Netherlands
Municipalities of South Holland
1340 establishments in Europe
Populated places in South Holland
Port cities and towns in the Netherlands
Port cities and towns of the North Sea