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Rotterdam cubic house photo by Vinzenz M眉hlstein

Top 10 Facts about Rotterdam

The Rotterdam which is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is the province of south Holland part of  the North Sea mouth of the Rhine-Meuse- Scheldt via  the Meuse inland shipping channel .

Rotterdam鈥檚 history goes back to 1270. This was when the dam was constructed in the Rotte. In 140 the Rotterdam was granted city rights by William IV, count of Holland. The name Rotterdam was first mentioned in 1283, when a small tract of reclaimed land was created by draining the mouth of the Rotte River (another distributary in the Rhine River delta).

Rotterdam developed as a fishing village and was chartered in 1328. In 1340 the town received permission to dig a canal to the Schie (another tributary of the New Meuse River), and it became the major port of the province.

Here are the Top 10 Facts about Rotterdam

1. Rotterdam has the largest port in Europe

the Port of Rotterdam, The Netherlands photo by AlfvanBeem

The largest port in Europe is Rotterdam which is well known to many people outside of the city. As far as port cities go it boasts a port that has been well connected. And has a long history of maritime activities.

There is even an open and free for all part of the maritime museum where you can go into loading boats and explore how it works from the inside. The boats are docked at the Oude Haven( the Old Harbor). It is a nice place to get a beer and gaze at Williamsburg by the water.

2.Explore the cube house in Rotterdam

The cube houses are a set of innovative houses. They were designed by architect Piet Blom. And are based on the concept of living as an urban roof. There is high density housing with sufficient space on the ground level. Since its main purpose is to optimize space.

The Blom tilted the cube of a conventional house 45 degrees and rested it upon a hexagon shaped pylon. His design represents a village within a city.  Each house represents a tree and all the houses together like a forest. The central idea of the cube houses around the world is mainly optimizing the space, as a house, toa better distribution of the rooms inside.

3.Rotterdam is the only city in Netherlands to a skyline

Rotterdam Skyline photo by ace discovery

Due to its modern architecture it comes with the title of being the only city in the Netherlands to have an actual skyline. It is home to 352 high-rises, the tallest  in the Netherlands and the Benelux. It is maastoren at 165 meters.

One is likely to find many skyscrapers along the River Maas in the Kop Van Zuid district. It is also called the Manhattan on the Maas. This is because of all these high rises that are constantly coming up. Its skyline is certainly a sight to behold.

4.It is the birthplace of the Kapsalon

Kapsalon is typically a Dutch snack. It is often eaten after a night out or when people are craving fast food. This is a popular dish that was invented by a hairdresser. Kapsalon consists of a layer of fries covered with shawarma or kebab , cheese , garlic sauce, chill sauce and vegetables. The Dutch word鈥� Kapsalon鈥� mean hair salon in English

5. Rotterdam is a home to 174 nationalities

Rotterdam is home to many different ethnicities. It has only 50% of the population being Dutch. The city attracts a large international and expat community as it is the base for large multinationals. It also has world- renowned universities like Erasmus university, Willem de Kooning Academy and codarts.

Rotterdam has its own Chinatown at west -Kruiskade, restaurants which offer cuisines from all around the world. Festivals dedicated to its growing international populace and with integration  since everyone speaks English.

6. There are more than 30 Museum in Rotterdam

Rotterdam is a good city to visit. This is if you like art and culture. The city has over 30 museums and it is something fun for everyone.  Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen has been one of the most famous museum in Rotterdam.  In this museum you can find art from masters like Van Gogh and Dali.

Another popular museum are the Kunsthal. This is where  you can find different exhibitions throughout the year. While Dutch Fotomuseum which focuses on photography. And Maritiem Museum is the oldest maritime museum in the Netherlands. This is the museum which has the history of shipping in the country.

7. Rotterdam’s Markthal has the largest artwork in the World

Markthal Rotterdam photo by Paul Arps

The Markthal of Rotterdam has been the iconic piece of architecture for the city of Rotterdam. It is dome-shaped with offices and apartments in the building itself. Also shops and stores are on the inside of the dome.

The most interesting part about the Markthal in Rotterdam is that its roof has the largest piece art in the world. It is the brainchild of Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam and is a whooping 11000 meters squared. This is also known as the Sistine chapel of Rotterdam.

8. The Zalmhaventoren is the tallest building in Rotterdam

There has been a lot of discussion on which structure is the tallest in Rotterdam. When the Euromast, a public observation tower, was constructed in 1960, it was Rotterdam’s tallest structure.

Following that, a number of structures competed for the title of Rotterdam’s tallest skyscraper. However, the Zalmhaventoren, which stands 203 meters tall, has replaced it as Rotterdam’s tallest structure since 2021. (666 ft).

9. The Euromast in Rotterdam is known as Mast instead of Tower

Euromast Rotterdam photo by Jan Geerling

In Rotterdam, there is a public observatory tower called the Euromast. You can eat, take in the city’s sights, or even go abseiling. For two reasons, the tower is referred to as Euromast for two reasons.

One of the reasons is because the word “mast,” which signifies tower in many other languages, is simpler than the Dutch word “toren.” The word “mast” is associated with the shipping sector, which has historically and continues to play a significant role in Rotterdam.

10.Blijdorp is the most visited zoo in the Netherlands

Blijdorp is a zoo which is one of the oldest zoos in the Netherlands. It is the most visited zoo with more than 1.5 million visitors each year. The zoo was designed by just one architect and was added to the list of the Dutch protected monuments in 2004.

The zoo is home to a wide variety of animals from crocodiles to rays and from giraffes to gorillas. Also Blijdorp cooperates with several schools for biology lesson and other educational events.