Amsterdam - journey through canals, windmills and tulips

The name Amsterdam was mentioned for the first time in a document from 1275, and indicated a small mercantile village dedicated to fishing. In ancient times, however, Holland was only a marshy and uninhabited land, with several rivers, including the Amstel river, which flowed into what was once the IJ bay. The city originated near the natural dam of the river, the Dam, towards the end of the 12th century. From there Amstel on the Dam was born, from which the name Amsterdam was formed. Today, in place of the dam, there is the city's main square, known as Dam Square. Amsterdam became a city at the beginning of the 13th century, when the bishop of Utrecht, Gwijde van Henegouwen, gave it the civic title. The city, in that period, moved from the center around the dam, bastions were built and canals dug. In 1358 it was part of the Hanseatic League and began to establish itself as a center of trade in Northern Europe. The Netherlands was inherited by her grandmother Maria, of the Duchy of Burgundy. Amsterdam, after Lisbon, became the most important port in the world. It was the commercial hub for the sale of grain and weapons and became the center of the trade of spices from India. In 1578 the city joined the front against Spain and the main reasons were: the fight for religious freedom; the defense of the privileges of the dominant classes; the idea of nationalism that was spreading; the strong repression of the Duke of Alba and the imposition of new taxes such as the Centesimo and the Alcabala. Holland defeated the Spanish and became independent thanks also to the support of William of Orange.

In 1609 the Bank of Amsterdam was created, modeled on that of Venice. The 17th century is considered Amsterdam's First Golden Age. It was the era in which the town hall was built in Dam Square and the city was a destination for intellectuals, some of whom were fleeing wars, such as Rembrandt, Spinoza and Descartes. When the Jews arrived, Amsterdam became the hub of the trade in precious stones and metals.

In the 17th century, the Dutch East India Company and the West India Company were created in Amsterdam. The centuries of prosperity came to a halt following the wars with England and with the Prussian and French troops.

In the last decades of the 19th century, along with the industrial revolution, Amsterdam had its second Golden Age and remained neutral during the First World War. Instead, during the Second World War, Nazi troops invaded the territory and on May 10, 1940. For the Jewish people living in Amsterdam, they were hard days. One of the best known victims is Anne Frank.