Top 15 Rotterdam Attractions, Netherlands

Rotterdam is often referred to as the "center of the world's distribution" because of its huge port, where cargo tankers with a variety of goods from all over the world dock. The city began to fulfill this function already by the 17th century. Despite its rather advanced age, Rotterdam is a progressive city where unusual architectural projects are welcomed and new technologies rule the roost.

Some tourists believe that Rotterdam is a model of urban architecture of the future. The rest of Europe will reach this level in fifty years. Indeed, unusual cubic houses or a bizarre combination of traditional urban planning with unusual solutions in the interior of the Church of St. Lawrence can both delight and puzzle.

What to see and where to go in Rotterdam?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

Town Hall of Rotterdam

The building of the city municipality was built recently - at the beginning of the 20th century. The structure was significantly damaged during the Second World War, but still it was not completely destroyed. A new corillon with 48 bells was installed on the town hall tower. On the facade there is a statue of the patroness of Rotterdam and sculptures embodying the national traits of the Dutch: perseverance, reliability, entrepreneurial spirit and caution.

Boymans-van Beuningen Museum

The largest art gallery in the country, which contains valuable paintings, graphic drawings, sculpture and other art objects by recognized masters. The museum was founded in the middle of the 19th century, the basis of the collection was exhibits from the personal collection of F. Boysman. In the middle of the 20th century, entrepreneur Daniel Van Beuningen also donated part of his collection to the museum.

Maritime Museum

The museum is considered one of the best in the world. It mainly stores exhibits related to the marine theme: ship models, ship gear, maps, navigational instruments and much more. The museum also has an impressive open-air collection. In this part of the exhibition, you can look at real ships, various mechanisms and elements of the port infrastructure.

Church of St Lawrence

The temple belongs to the Protestant community and is the only medieval building in Rotterdam. It was built in the XV-XVI centuries. From the outside, the church looks quite traditional, but from the inside it looks more like a modern art gallery. There is a cafe, an original installation of mirrors and a whole wall of electric lamps, which, apparently, symbolize candles.

White House in Rotterdam

The Art Nouveau building is one of the few structures that survived the bombings of World War II. The White House was built at the very end of the 19th century according to the design of V. Molenbroek. Due to the instability of swampy soils, the foundation stands on piles. Construction critics believed that such a "hulk" would not last even a few years, would not withstand its own weight. However, the White House is still in excellent condition.

cube houses

A unique innovative project by the Danish architect P. Blom, which is a whole street of houses upside down and placed on one corner. Living in such structures is considered prestigious, so they are occupied by wealthy citizens. One of the houses is converted into a museum where tourists can see what is happening inside. Some residents also offer tours of their unusual apartments.

Markthal Market

Huge retail space and residential apartments located in the same building. The complex was built in 2014. It has become a real place of pilgrimage for gourmets. Markthal has everything to cook almost any dish from any cuisine in the world: spices, exotic fruits, rare additives, a whole supermarket of Asian products. And this is not to mention dozens of varieties of the most common tomato.

Railway station building

The modern station building was erected in 2013 on the site of the old one, which was demolished. Natural elements were used for interior decoration, many details are made of wood. The building is covered with a glass dome through which maximum sunlight enters. Thanks to this design, artificial lighting is practically not used at the station, which significantly saves money.

Port of Rotterdam

The largest port in Europe and one of the largest in the world. It is an industrial and cargo harbor on the North Sea. Most of its territory is occupied by docks and office buildings. The history of the port began in the Middle Ages. Since then, it has been constantly developing and expanding, now its length is about 40 km, the area is more than 10 thousand hectares, the port annually receives up to 30 thousand ships and tankers.

Erasmus Bridge

A cable-stayed structure spanning the Meuse River connects the northern and southern parts of the city. The bridge was built in 1996 by the architect B. van Berkel, the opening took place in the presence of the queen. The bridge was nicknamed "The Swan" because of the unusual curved design of the main supporting tower. The building was named after Erasmus of Rotterdam, a humanist, philosopher and writer.

Euromast

The famous observation tower and one of the popular city attractions. It was built in the second half of the 20th century. The building reaches a height of 180 meters. The observation deck offers a magnificent view of Rotterdam. Inside there are two restaurants for visitors. For lovers of extreme sports, it is possible to go down with the help of climbing equipment.

District Delfshaven

A real corner of old Rotterdam, entangled with canals and built up with charming Dutch houses. This area managed to survive during the Second World War and retain its historical appearance. There is an old brewery, a real windmill, many nice shops and cafes. In this place you can have a very pleasant time and enjoy the spirit of the past.

Diergaarde Blijdorp Zoo

One of the oldest zoos in the Netherlands, which began in the middle of the 19th century with a private collection of birds. The zoo had to endure closure, relocation and bombing in 1940, which killed many animals. Fortunately, the rest of the inhabitants were saved, and a few months later the zoo was restored. In 2001, an oceanarium was opened on the territory.

Botanical garden "Arboretum Trompenburg"

An impressive variety of trees, flowers, shrubs and herbs collected from all over the planet grows on the territory of the city botanical garden. The collection began to be assembled in the second half of the 19th century. The garden is divided into several thematic zones; a system of canals and ponds has been created on the territory. Thanks to the magnificent landscape design, the park has become a favorite place for the citizens to walk.

Kinderdijk

The famous valley of windmills, located a few kilometers from Rotterdam. A system of mills was built in the 18th century for the purpose of regulating the water level. But the problem could not be solved - the territory was constantly subjected to flooding. Kinderdijk was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. At the moment, this is one of the most popular attractions in the Netherlands.