City of the month: Amsterdam

Amsterdam and music

Venues & Orchestras

History

It is hard to talk about Dutch musical life without mentioning “the former Low Countries” which, with the rapid growth of the Duchy of Burgundy in the 15th century, saw the emergence of musical geniuses who left their mark on the history of Western music: Dufay, Binchois, Ockeghem, Josquin Desprez and Orlando di Lasso.
But it was not until the end of the 16th century that a composer with international influence, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, came on the scene. Although the Calvinist reformation excluded the organ from religious services, music was played in private, during family music evenings of the kind often illustrated in his paintings by Vermeer.
Opera made a tentative appearance in 1679 with De triomfeerende Min by Hacquart, but the Netherlands was dependent for a long time on touring German, French and Italian companies. Periodically, companies wishing to promote Dutch domestic production were established in Amsterdam, but these proved to be short-lived. The Concertgebouw orchestra gave its first concert in 1888 and in spite of the successes of Zweers and especially of Wagenaar, who preferred to compose on the basis of Dutch texts, it was not until 1946 and the German occupation, that De Nederlandse Opera came into being.
The 20th century saw Dutch composers such as Diepenbrock re-establish an international reputation, soon to be joined by Dresden and Pijper (regarded as the modernisers of Dutch music), then Vermeulen. Contemporary composition occupies a particularly important place in Amsterdam, notably thanks to the Festival of Holland. The Opera House which puts on an eclectic and very high-level season each year, has commissioned the latest works of de Leeuw, Andriessen and Zuidam...

De Nederlandse Opera - www.dno.nl
Curious as it may seem, the city of Amsterdam has only recently become equipped with an opera house. Even though the construction of such a building has been planned on a site across from the Concertgebouw since the nineteenth century, in 1946 the Nederlandse Opera (which gives more than 100 performances a year) was still mostly itinerant, traveling from Amsterdam to The Hague, from Utrecht to Rotterdam. In 1964, the permanent company system was abandonned, and the choice was made to found a new institution, based in Amsterdam. Finally, in 1986, the Muziektheater was inaugurated, and the Nederlandse Opera now enjoys all the advantages of a modern hall, with sets and costumes designed on the spot.

Festivals - www.hollandfestival.nl
Run since 1947, the Festival of Holland includes all forms of artistic expression, concerts, operas, ballets, theatre, cinema... In June every year the festival takes place mainly in Amsterdam and The Hague but also throughout the country. Contemporary arts and the rediscovery of the repertoire play an important role.

Orchestras

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - www.concertgebouworkest.nl
Considered one of the top orchestras in the world, it only acquired its “royal” title in 1988. The fact that it has had only a limited number of conductors (6 in 120 years) has certainly helped in the development of its distinctive sound and above all of a repertoire to which it remains faithful.
After its early days under Willem Kes, it was Willem Mengelberg who built up this repertoire, inviting composers such as Ravel, Mahler and Strauss to conduct their own works. Eduard van Beinum built up the affinities of the orchestra with French composers and with Bruckner. A native of Amsterdam, Bernard Haitink established the orchestra’s international reputation through world tours and also through its many benchmark recordings. In 1988 he passed the baton over to the “Latin” conductor Riccardo Chailly, who revived the performance of Mahler, bringing to it new energy and excitement. Mariss Jansons will no doubt manage to continue the distinctive nature of an orchestra whose beauty has become the stuff of legend.

The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir
A baroque orchestra conducted and founded in 1979 by the famous Dutch harpsichordist and organist, Ton Koopman. Specialising in Bach, 80 % of whose works it has recorded, its repertoire covers the 17th and 18th centuries from Buxtehude to Mozart.

New sinfonietta amsterdam - www.sinfonietta.nl
Established in 1988, this ensemble has gradually built up a great reputation among chamber orchestras for having played with, among others: Thomas Hampson, Yo-Yo Ma, Gidon Kremer, Anner Bijlsma, Pieter Wispelwey, Christopher Hogwood, Murray Perahia and Valery Gergiev.

Venues

Concertgebouw - www.concertgebouw.nl
This temple to classical music, built in 1888, is the home of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; it plays host to top orchestras and to the finest soloists and puts on some 650 concerts per year.
Situated in the museum district, the Flemish Renaissance Revival inspired building has some of the finest acoustics in the world. It was refurbished in 1980, acquiring a new wing. The main auditorium is surrounded by a balcony and has seating for an audience of 2000.
In its early days, Strauss and Stravinsky, Ravel and Rachmaninov came to Amsterdam to test its reputation.

Het Muziektheater - www.het-muziektheater.nl
This modern theatre is the headquarters of the Nederlandse Opera. Discussions on the building of a new opera house went on for about a hundred years before this concert hall seating 1500 was opened right in the heart of the old town in 1986.

The Stadsschouwburg theatre
An auditorium seating 900 people opened in 1894, it hosts the first performances of the Nederlandse Opera. Today a venue for theatre and dance, operatic art nevertheless continues to occupy an important position here.

The churches Westerkerk, Oude Kerk, Nieuwe Kerk or Engelse Kerk
regularly hold concerts of bell ringing, chamber, contemporary and baroque music.

A former fishing village founded in the 13th century, Amsterdam takes its name from a dam (also called Dam in Dutch) built on the River Amstel. Amsterdam has been a major centre of commerce since the 14th century.

The war against Spain broke out in the 16th century, bringing an end to the independence of the Low Countries. At a time when the wars of religion were ravaging Europe, Amsterdam attached no importance to the religion of its inhabitants, provided that they paid their taxes and participated in economic life. This religious tolerance attracted rich Portuguese and Spanish Jewish families, as well as French Huguenots (Protestants) who sought refuge in a place where they would not be persecuted for their beliefs.

The 17th century, Amsterdam’s golden age, saw maritime trade with Indonesia, Brazil and Africa flourish. The town’s famous canals were built during this same period. Amsterdam then became an international financial market and the most important port in the world.

In the beginning of the 19th century, the Napoleonic Wars paralysed maritime trade, and Amsterdam lost its hegemony over world trade. The industrial revolution at the end of the 19th century nevertheless breathed new life into the city. The flourishing economy also allowed architects to embark on major construction projects. New links were created between the canals and the sea. In order to facilitate European and world communications, a new canal was dug as far as the Rhine.

The First World War had few repercussions in Amsterdam. The Netherlands was neutral in this conflict and only trade suffered. During the Second World War, the country tried to remain neutral but Germany invaded it in 1940. Approximately 100,000 of Amsterdam’s Jews were deported, reducing the city’s Jewish community to practically nothing.

During the 1960s, Amsterdam entered into a cultural revolution which was to last for twenty years. Women’s rights, sexual freedom, access to knowledge and the right to housing became significant issues. Amsterdam also gained a reputation for the city’s tolerance to the use of soft drugs, which made it a favourite destination for the hippy generation.

During the 1980s Amsterdam changed at the instigation of its Labour mayor. A practical approach to drugs emerged and homosexual couples were given recognition. The city went through yet another change in the 1990s. Family businesses and small factories disappeared to make way for restaurants, coffee shops and hotels. The city’s ethnic composition also changed. Foreign minorities now represent 25 % of the population. In 2002, the elections on 15 May were won by the conservative Christian Democrats, who formed an alliance with the populist protesters of Pim Fortuyn, who was assassinated on 6 May.

Architecture

Some Highlights

Gardens & in the surrounding area

Residential architecture
In spite of its lack of major monuments, Amsterdam is an architectural wonder because of its canals and its countless private buildings, each with its own distinctive features. No other city in Europe possesses such a wealth of residential architecture. The houses are generally on three storeys. They are famous for their gables, either triangular with stair-stepped outlines, or bell or neck-shaped. The jibs fixed at the top are used for taking up furniture because the staircases are too narrow.
Worth seeing along the canals: the Bartolotti House in Prinsengracht, the House with the Heads along the Herengracht, the House with the Eagles on Rokin, the façades of the Leliegracht built during the Dutch Renaissance period (16th and 17th century).

Architectural styles:

Medieval style (14th century): Oude Kerk

Flamboyant Gothic Style (15th century): Nieuwe Kerk

Renaissance (16th century): the Bartolotti house on the Herengracht

Dutch Classicism (17th century): Town Hall and present-day Royal Palace on the Dam, designed by Jacob Van Campen

Gothic Revival (19th century): the Rijksmuseum

Renaissance Revival (19th century)
Many new public buildings were built in the 19th century: the Rijksmuseum in 1885, the Concertgebouw in 1888, the central station in 1889, the central post office in 1899, are Renaissance Revival style buildings, often with very ostentatious Gothic additions. This series was completed in 1903 with the construction of the Stock Exchange designed in a revolutionary style by Berlage. He also designed Amsterdam-Zuid, the city’s southern district.

School of Amsterdam (early 20th century)
This movement, influenced by Berlage, was characteristic for its Expressionist style. Bricks played a significant decorative role.

Art Deco (1920s):
The American Hotel, on the Leidseplein, has an Art Deco café as does the Tuschinsky cinema with its stained-glass windows and its exuberant decoration.

Post-modernism (20th century)
The contemporary period is characterised by the use of glass. Bricks have often been abandoned in favour of granite and steel.
Amsterdam contains some fine modern buildings such as the big ABN-AMRO bank and the “skyscraper” by J.F. Staal.

Contemporary (20th century):
Today, the city is teeming with successful projects. Notably the redevelopment of the former docks of the port of Amsterdam. The grain silos have been turned into apartments. The warehouses were redeveloped and now combine residential accommodation, shops and offices. The Borneo and Sporenburg peninsulas have also been transformed into residential districts.

The canals
The old town is surrounded by four canals: the Singel, the Herengracht, the Keizersgracht and the Prinsengracht. Many others were filled in at the beginning of the century for health reasons.

The Begijnhof (Beguine convent) www.begijnhofamsterdam.nl
Founded in 1346, the Begijnhof is a former convent which housed Beguine nuns. These nuns devoted their lives to the underprivileged. The last Beguine nun died in 1971.
A real oasis of peace, it is the only hofje (interior courtyard) officially open to the public. The house at No. 34 with a wooden façade, a blank wall and bearing Biblical inscriptions, is the oldest in Amsterdam. Also worth a visit: the Gothic church in the courtyard.

The Red Light district
This district, once frequented by sailors for its countless distilleries and brothels, was known familiarly as Wallen or Walletjes because of the canals that cross it. Today, the distilleries have been replaced by sex shops and erotic theatres, while the prostitutes await their clients behind shop windows topped by red lamps. This is one of the city’s most beautiful districts, and is well worth strolling around to see its magnificent architecture.

Dam
The Dam, the central square of the city of Amsterdam, was built in 1270 on 13,000 piles. In the centre of the square, the national Monument, erected in 1956 in memory of the victims of the Second World War, faces the Royal Palace (1648) and the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church).

Oude Kerk www.oudekerk.nl
The oldest church in the city, its construction began in 1309 on the site of an old wooden chapel in the heart of the Red Light district. Many famous people have been buried here: Saskia, the wife of Rembrandt, the painter Pieter Aertsen, the architects Justus and Philip Vingboons and the admirals Abraham Van der Hulst and Jacob Van Heemskerk.
Worth seeing:
- The organ case above the entrance of the nave
- The magnificent view from the top of the spire (70 m), added in 1566, and which houses a carillon of 47 bells.

The Jordaan
Designed as a working-class district during the expansion of the city in the 17th century, it is today inhabited by students and artists. This fashionable district offers a fine concentration of hofjies (almshouses consisting of small dwellings built around an interior courtyard) and has many pubs, restaurants, unusual boutiques, art galleries and lots of markets.

The Nieuwe Kerk www.nieuwekerk.nl/liefde/
Situated on Dam square, this church is one of the city’s landmarks. It was built in 1408, when the Oude Kerk was no longer able to accommodate all of the town’s faithful.
The church houses several funerary monuments: the tomb of Admiral Michiel de Ruyter and of the Dutch poet and tragic actor, Joost Van den Vondel.

Royal Palace
Built 350 years ago on Dam Square, as Amsterdam’s Town Hall, it was spotted in 1808 by Louis Bonaparte who, on his arrival in Amsterdam, was looking for a new residence. After the departure of Bonaparte, the building remained a palace. Although Queen Beatrix does not live in the palace, she does occasionally host receptions for important guests here.

Anne Frank’s House www.annefrank.nl
The house in which Anne Frank hid from the Nazis and wrote her famous Diary during the Second World War.

Rembrandt’s House
This house is a testament to the personal history of the painter who painted most of his work in this house dating from 1606. The museum has a collection of 250 prints.

PARCS ET JARDINS

The canals of Amsterdam are lined with extraordinary gardens. These secret gardens, belonging to houses or museums, situated in the town centre, are genuine oases of calm. Dating from the 16th to the 20th century, each has its own special atmosphere. Every year the Amsterdam Canal Museums Association organises the Open Gardens Weekend giving everyone a chance to see them.

Artis Park www.artis.nl
Founded in 1838, this is one of Europe’s oldest zoological gardens. One building offers a night-time jungle tour.

The Hortus botanicus was founded in 1638. The garden is particularly famous for its palm house, built in 1993.

Vondelpark is named after the great 17th-century dramatist and poet. A statue, put up in 1867, pays tribute to him. Vondelpark is a 45-hectare landscape garden with lots of trees, lakes and fountains... In summer it has an open-air theatre. Free concerts are held when the weather is fine.

AROUND

Zandvoort
One of the country’s most popular seaside resorts, less than 40 km from Amsterdam.
Worth seeing: its beach, its car-racing track, its symbolic lighthouse

Keukenhof landscape garden www.keukenhof.nl
Designed in 1830 by a German landscape architect, this 32-hectare park allows you to discover thousands of different flowers amid an ornamental lake, waterfalls, etc.

Volendam
A picturesque fishing village 22 km north of Amsterdam.

Zaanse Schans www.zaanseschans.nl
This area has seven windmills, three of which you can go inside. A museum allows you to visit some impressive period-style rooms.

Alkmaar www.alkmaar.nl
This village has retained the traditional ritual of its cheese market in the village square on Friday mornings.

Food

Food & Drinks

Festivals, Traditional customs

Unlike France or Italy, Holland is not famous for its cuisine. It is better known for its cafés, its tulips and its cheese.
Typically Dutch cuisine is the food of the north, rustic and substantial, often based on potatoes, meat and vegetables.

SPECIALITIES
Erwtensoep (the thick national soup based on split peas)
Stamppot (a potato stew, accompanied by meat)
Herrings : these are eaten raw, pickled, with potato salad or smoked.
Rijsttafel (“rice table”): This dish consists of dry cooked rice and small side dishes, containing meat, various vegetables, strange and mysterious sauces and very strong spices...
Smoked eels, Zeeland oysters, shrimps, etc. can also be sampled, depending on the season.

CHOCOLATES, SWEETS AND PASTRIES
Hagelslag : chocolate granules which children sprinkle on bread and butter.
Haagse hopje : The most famous sweets in the Netherlands
Spiced bread : sweet, spiced or gingerbread.

CHEESES :
Limburgse kaas, Gouda, Edam, Maasdam, Mimolette, Old Amsterdam (a firm cheese aged for 30 months)

DRINKS :
The coffee is strong and often excellent.

Beer is the national drink. The most well-known are Heineken, Amstel, Oranjeboom, Goudsch Kuyt from Gouda (spicy and smooth), Arcen Magnus (dark in colour), Gulpen X-Pert (slightly caramelised), Schaapskooi (dark ruby colour, the only Dutch abbey beer).

Genever or Holland Gin is the national spirit most in demand. An excellent strong liqueur, quite similar to gin. It is served chilled in small tulip-shaped glasses. There are places which specialise in serving genever, known as proeflokaalen.

February: Carnival, parades and dancing
March: arts week with lots of cultural events
21 March: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Enormous demonstration
Third weekend in April: national museums weekend (admission free to all museums).
30 April: birthday of Queen Juliana. Popular holiday in which the streets are filled with a flea market, carnival, concerts and popular dances
Second Saturday in May: national windmills day. A day on which the windmills unfurl their sails and open their doors to the public.
June: Festival of Holland. Every year, nearly 80 shows and concerts, ballets, opera and theatre are on the programme of this culture festival.
Last weekend in August: Uitmarkt along the canals (festivities and arts events)
September: festival of flowers
Mid-September: For ten days, the working-class district of Jordaan organises arts events
Third week in November: Cannabis Cup Awards. Lots of events are organised on the theme of cannabis (exhibitions, debates, etc.).

Things to Do

Hotels

Restaurants

Museum
Rijksmuseum www.rijksmuseum.nl
This enormous building dating from 1885 (a mixture of Gothic Revival and Renaissance, designed by Cuyppers) which houses a collection of approximately 5,000 paintings, is one of the world’s biggest museums. It is visited mainly for the Great Dutch and Flemish Masters of the 15th to 19th century and, especially, for the prestigious exponents of the Golden Age (17th century): Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals.

Van Gogh Museum www.vangoghmuseum.nl
Opened in 1973, this museum houses the collection that belonged to the painter’s brother and includes some 200 paintings and 500 drawings by Van Gogh and by his friends or contemporaries such as Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec and Monet.

Stedelijk Museum www.stedelijk.nl
This is one of the finest museums of modern art in the world.
In addition to works by Mondrian, the museum contains paintings by Monet, Cézanne, Picasso and Chagall, as well as compositions by Andy Warhol.

Cobra Museum
www.cobra-museum.nl
This museum played an important role in the development of contemporary art in Holland and in the international history of art. It is the result of a merger between Expressionism, Surrealism and Abstract Art. There are drawings by Asger Jorn, wood sculptures by Karel Appel, paintings by Pierre Alechinsky and Corneille, etc.

Amstel Inter-Continental*****
Amsterdam, 1018 GX
Tel: +31-20-6226060
Fax: +31-20-6225808
www.interconti.com
This five-star deluxe hotel is located in a quiet but central section of the Amstel River bank, within walking distance of the financial and cultural centers of the city. He is celebrated as the most beautiful hotel in the Netherlands and ranks with the best hotels in the world.

The Grand Amsterdam *****
0udezijds Voorburgwal 197
Tel:+31-20-5553111
Fax:+31-20-5553222
www.sofitel.nl
This magnificient hotel, a classified historic monument where Her Majesty Queen Beatrix was married in 1966, is located in the heart of the city, close to Dam Square, the historic and cultural districts and major financial institutions.

Hotel de l'Europe *****
Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2-8
Tel: +31-20-531 1777
Fax: +31-20-531 1778
www.leurope.nl
Hotel de l'Europe is located in the heart of the city. The flowermarket, the famous canals, the Rijksmuseum, the Mint Tower, shops, it is al within your easy reach. One of the most delightful features is its renewed Restaurant Excelsior, with life pianomusic every night. Brasserie Le Relais is open for lunch and dinners. Freddy's Bar is a pleasant informal place to be.

Sofitel Amsterdam ****
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 67
Tel:+31-20-6275900
Fax:+31-20-6238932
www.sofitel.nl
This hotel is located in cultural and financial centre of the city, between the Royal Palace, Dam Square and Central Station.

Jolly Hotel Carlton ****
Vijzelstraat, 4 NL
Tel: +31-20-6222266
Fax: +31-20-6266183
www.jollyhotels.it
The Jolly Hotel carlton is ideally located in the centre of Amsterdam, opposite the famous Floating Flower market, Munt Tower and surrounded by the main shopping streets.

D’Vijff Vlieghen
Spuistraat 294-302
Tel: +31-20-530 40 60
Fax: +31-20-623 64 04
www.d-vijffvlieghen.com
Restaurant d'Vijff Vlieghen has nine interconnected dining rooms, each with its own distinctive style. All of' them recreate the rich atmosphere of the Golden Age.
The Rembrandt Room is particularly remarkable for its four original etchings made by the great Dutch master. In the Knights' Hall, displays of helmets and armour recall the Eighty Years War with Spain.
The Glass Room contains a collection of rare handmade glassware dating from the 17th century, whilst the 18th century panelling of the Bridal Room creates an intimate atmosphere.

La Sirène
Le Meridien Apollo
Apollolaan 2 1077 BA
Tel: +31-20-673 5922
www.lemeridien.com
La Sirène is one of the top 10 restaurants of Amsterdam. La Sirène features a menu with an inviting selection of the best that European rivers and seas have to offer.

De Silveren Spiegel
Kattengat 4-6
Tel: +31-20-624 6589
The elegant Silveren Spiegel (Silver Mirror) is one of Amsterdam’s best known traditional restaurants, featuring a romantic atmosphere enhanced by the beautifully decorated candlelit rooms in two historic houses.

The Pancake Bakery
191, Prinsengracht
Tel: +31-20-625 1333
This restaurant serves up a range of 70 different pancakes. Set within a former warehouse that dates back to the 17th century and looks onto the Prinsengracht canal, this establishment also specialises in omelettes.

Café In de Waag
4 Nieuwmarkt
Tel: +31-20-42 27 772
In the middle stands the Weigh House or Waag. This magnificent historic building with its constrained yet informal interior design is lit by 300 candles.

Café Reibach
Brouwersgracht 139
Tel: +31-20-626 77 08
Start your day at this charming canalside cafe that serves generous, magnificent breakfast platters laden with Dutch cheese, pate, smoked salmon, eggs, coffee and fresh juice. If you can fit it in, afternoon tea is just as impressive: if you're quick, you may get to sample the popular pear tart.