Rainy Day Reads

Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, but the parliament and government is actually situated in the third largest city, The Haag. The city of Amsterdam is amongst other things known for The Van Gogh Museum, The Rijksmuseum, Anna Frank’s House, canals, flowers and bicycles.   This post will deal with the canals and tulips, and a general introduction to the city.  History Amsterdam can trace its history back to the 13th century, when it was a small fishing community along the banks of the river Amstel. It slowly grew and in 1275 it was awarded privileges to trade. The traders worked in the Baltic Sea, trading with the cities of the Hanseatic League. The city prospered and in the late 16th century it grew rapidly, almost doubling its population. This was the beginning of the Golden Age of Amsterdam. In the late 18th and early 19th century there was a decline, but in 1815 The Netherlands was established as an independent state and the second golden age of A...