.: ATTRACTION :.

It is quite impossible to get bored in Amsterdam once you are there as a large array of attractions is waiting for your discovery. Historical buildings including houses, civic buildings, and churches dating back to the 15^th -17^th century are evocative of the old lifestyle of the Amsterdamers in those times. A pack of museums offers a good opportunity to appreciate the city’s rich history and artworks of the old masters. Canal cruises which take you to glide along a myriad canals dating from the 17^th century is a great way to explore Amsterdam. Nightlife in Amsterdam is not the second to elsewhere with its pubs, bars, restaurants, and many other entertainment outlets, promising you to enjoy the good times there. With its compact size, Amsterdam can be explored the best by foot or by a bike. Parades of people, cafes, and elegant streets are alluring and will swallow your time without noticing it.  

Monuments and historic buildings

Amsterdam endows more monuments and well-preserved historic buildings than any other city in the world. There are almost 7,000 national monuments in the city including both private houses and civic buildings. Most of them line along the canals which encircle the city center. The most outstanding ones are:-

-Het Houten Huys: This is one of the two wooden houses dating from the 15^th century which remains in Amsterdam, located in Begijnhof. Built in 1425, the house is designed in a gothic timber frame which is elaborately decorated.

-Het Huis met de Hoofden (The House with the Effigies): Standing on the Keizersgracht, the house was built in 1622. The house is outstanding for its fascinating gate and six effigies adorned on the façade; hence the name of the house. Its building is also richly decorated with gargoyles, pillars, etc. The structure of the house has been well-preserved and has never been altered since the 17^th century.

-De Vier Heemskinderen: The house of De Vier Heemskinderen (Heymijn’s Four Sons) is situated on the corner of the Herengracht and the Leidsegracht. Built in 1671, the house is characterized by its Dutch gable dating from the Dutch Classicism period. The house owes its name to the memorial tablet “De Vier Heemskinderen” at the top of the house.

-Schreierstoren: These towers were parts of the stone wall around the city which consisted of the defense towers connected by a town wall. Constructed in 1487, the Schreierstoren or the Weeping Tower got its name as many women wept while seeing their loved ones sail away from this tower.

-Munttoren: The Munttoren (the Mint Tower) was once part of the old town wall in the Middle Ages. The tower got its name in 1672 due to the construction of a guardhouse next to the tower where coins were struck.

-Dam square:  Located at the heart of the city, Dam Square is a pack of major monuments including Royal Palace, New Church, and the NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky.

Dam Square is now a meeting place for tourists, shoppers, businesspeople, street performers, and artists.

-Royal Palace: The Palace was originally built in 1648 as Amsterdam’s city hall. Upon arrival of Louis Napoleon of France in 1808, the city’s hall was turned into the palace, housing now a large collection of Empire-styled furniture, chandeliers and clocks. Nowadays, the palace is still the official royal resident, though the royal family lives in The Hague. Occasionally, the palace receives the important guests.

-Nieuwe Kerk (the New Church): Situated next to the Royal Palace, the church was built in the end of the 14^th century. This gothic-styled church is where Queen Beatrix was crowned. Exhibits, concerts and presentation ceremonies are regularly held here.  

-Oude Kerk: This 14^th century gothic structure, located in the heart of the Red-Light-District is the oldest church in Amsterdam. The church has well preserved the oak-encased Great Organ, gilded ceiling, stained-glass-windows and the Lady Chapel, worth having a look. Rembrandt’s first wife is buried here as well.

-Westerkerk: This church boasts for its tallest tower in Amsterdam, from which visitors can get the spectacular views over the city. It also contains the largest nave of any Dutch Protestant church. The old master Rembrandt is buried here.

Museums

Amsterdam is packed with museums which are an irresistible charm among its general attractions. The precious artworks of the old masters such as Rembrandt and Van Gogh are featured in various museums to reveal the artistic ingenuity of those days in Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Amsterdam’s rich history filled with colorful events is all composed on various exhibits telling people in our days to learn, to appreciate or even to have nostalgia for.

-Rijksmuseum: The country’s premier art museum houses a large collection of the greatest masters’ artworks dating from the country’s Golden Age, including ones of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, and Steen. The collection of paintings and artifacts from other European and Asian countries is also intriguing. To see it all, several days may be needed. Apart from the precious artworks it endows, the museum is also attractive for its structure designed by the architect Cuijpers in 1885. The building is composed of beautiful details including tile tableaus, sculptures, proverbs and ornaments. The museum also embraces part of garden which is worth visiting.

-Stedelijk Museum:  This museum houses a wide-range collection of modern Dutch paintings and is one of Europe’s most important venues of contemporary art exhibitions. Its collection focuses on various kinds of art in the second half of the 20^th century, including Impressionism, pop art, and minimalism. Works of Czanne, Chagall, Picasso and Monet are also on display. 

-Van Gogh Museum: The museum contains the largest collection of Van Gogh’s works, including more than 200 canvases, 500 drawings and 700 written documents. The collection is arranged in five chronological periods relating to a certain phase of Van Gogh’s life. An extensive permanent collection of other 19^th century artists is also housed in the museum; the works include ones of contemporaries of Van Gogh such as Paul Gauguin and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

-Anne Frankhuis: The Anne Frank house draws half a million of visitors each year. This is a historic home where Anne Frank, her family and other Jewish people hid from the deportation of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during WW II.  Anne Frank wrote her famous diary telling about her daily life in an annexe concealed behind revolving bookcase from July 1942 to August 1944. Finally caught by the Nazis, they were taken off to the concentration camp where Anne died. Her diary was found in the annexe and ever since has been translated into more than 50 languages. Due to conservation, the house has entirely remained in its original condition of the hiding period; original objects, documents and photos from the time are also displayed, making the place more evocative of such terrible time of Anne Frank. Each year, the house hosts an exhibition on a current theme relating to World War II as well.

-Rembrandthuis: This fascinating three-storey house built in the 17^th century is where the great artist Rembrandt lived for nearly 20 years and became now a museum. His living quarter, his studio and some of his personal items are in their original condition. The collection of the master’s works, including etchings and paintings is on display along with other works of his teacher and students.

-Amsterdam Historisch Museum: The Amsterdam Historical Museum is housed in a former orphanage dating back to 1524. The museum displays the exhibition on the development of Amsterdam from a medieval town to the modern city along with paintings, prints, and archeological finds.  

-Seksmuseum: Amsterdam’s bizarre Sex Museum, the only one in Europe, exhibits erotic art and devices from different cultures and historical periods.

Parks and gardens

Parks and gardens are also Amsterdam’s highlight with the large verdant space for an escape from the bustling city center. Visitors can admire the beautifully decorated garden with the colorful shows of flowers amidst the balmy atmosphere. Joggers, in-line skaters, dog-walkers, etc. are all the pleasant sight.

-Hortus Botanicus: Amsterdam’s botanical garden is situated within the areas of University of Amsterdam. A wide variety of plants from all parts of the world have been collected here for more than 400 years. Some oldest trees of the city are also conserved here. The highlight of the Hortus is the Victoria Amazonica, the giant water lily which booms at night; it usually flowers either in June, July or August.

-Vondelpark: This Park is the favorite place for joggers. During the 1960s, this was a famous meeting point for hippies from all over the world. In summer with the shiny day, the park is filled with people seeking corner to relax under the sun while watching street musicians, jugglers, ice-cream vendors, each of them with their activities, making the Park an ideal place for relaxation.