Gaby
“I am Amsterdam!” This is the official motto of the Dutch capital, boldly proclaiming the uniqueness and self-sufficiency of this city. Known as the “Venice of the North,” Amsterdam is famous worldwide, and even those who have never set foot here are familiar with its colorful, gingerbread-like houses lining the banks of countless canals, the laid-back customs of the Red Light District, and the legalized cannabis… So, instead of overwhelming you with information you already know, let’s focus on some lesser-known, intriguing facts about this remarkable city.
Moving Through the Window
Visitors to Amsterdam often notice that the houses are quite narrow. This isn’t just a design choice; it has a more serious reason—money. Most of these buildings were constructed in the 17th century when property taxes were based on the width of the house. As a result, residents bought small plots of land and built tall, narrow homes.
The narrow doors and cramped staircases inside these buildings made it nearly impossible to bring in furniture. To solve this issue, architects designed large windows and installed sturdy beams at the tops of the houses. These beams are used to hoist furniture up with ropes and then pull it through the windows into the rooms. Many tourists also notice the slight tilt of the buildings forward. It’s believed this was done for easier furniture delivery to apartments or resulted from such maneuvers.
Amsterdam’s historic buildings have another unique feature—they all stand on 20-meter wooden piles that support the structures, preventing them from sinking into the marshy ground on which the city is built. Currently, the Dutch government is working to replace these with concrete pillars, but it’s a challenging and costly task. On average, each house uses about 10 wooden supports, and for larger buildings like the Central Station or the Royal Palace, it’s much more. The latter, for example, is built on over 10,000 piles!
On Bikes—Everyone!
Statistics show that for every 850,000 residents of Amsterdam, there are 847,000 bicycles. This means that nearly everyone has access to this mode of transportation! Cycling has become a way of life in Amsterdam, largely thanks to the well-established network of bike paths and routes.
Of course, such infrastructure exists in many European cities, but only Amsterdam can boast of having a bicycle mayor! In 2016, former marketing manager of Giant Bicycles, Anna Luten, took on this role. She is dedicated to implementing her program aimed at making both Amsterdam and other cities more accommodating for people rather than cars.
Dancing Outside the Law?
Interestingly, in addition to the bicycle mayor, Amsterdam also has a rather unusual official position known as the nightlife mayor: this person is responsible for promoting, popularizing, and ensuring the safety of nightclubs, discos, bars, and restaurants. It’s incredible, considering that as recently as the early 20th century, dancing was even banned here! The laws of that time explicitly labeled dancing as immoral and dangerous. The only “allowed” form of dance was ballet, and the only ones permitted to enjoy it were the nobility, who could do as they pleased. After all, ballerinas were typically expected to entertain guests after the performance… Fortunately, the ban on dancing was lifted in 1924. And as we can see, nearly a century later, Amsterdam has become one of the freest cities in the world.
Did You Know…
- Amsterdam is crisscrossed by over 165 canals stretching 150 kilometers, with more than 1,000 bridges connecting them.
- Amsterdam natives are the tallest people on the planet, with an average height of 1.8 meters.
- The main airport in Amsterdam may soon become an underwater facility. The lowest point of Schiphol Airport is three meters below sea level: with rising ocean levels, there’s a significant chance this airport could turn into a seaport.
- Despite being the capital of the Netherlands, all government organizations, including the Supreme Court, are located in The Hague.
- It is the most multicultural city in the world, home to representatives from 178 different cultures. In fact, over 85% of the city’s population speaks more than one language, with many residents speaking three.
- Amsterdam ranks among the safest cities in the world. Given the number of immigrants and the legal status of soft drugs, one might think otherwise. However, Amsterdam has received high marks for infrastructure safety and personal security due to a consistent decline in crime rates and a low number of traffic accidents.
