Amsterdam Coffee Shop
Travel Guide to the most popular coffeeshops & hôtels in Amsterdam
Find the most helpful Amsterdam Coffee Shop Guide and Amsterdam Hotel Guide for your Amsterdam Guide search and your vacation to The Netherlands
There are quite literally hundreds of hostels and hotels in Amsterdam
Below is a list of some of the city’s most popular and best loved places to lay your head at night, find the coffee-shop near your hotel
Discover Amsterdam, the Famous and Amazing City in The Netherlands
Once upon a time The History of Dutch Coffeeshops
For many it might be hard to believe, but once upon a time Amsterdam was actually a pilgrimage site, a place where pilgrims would come to from far and wide in the hope of some sort of blessing
The reason: in 1345 a miracle occurred
A dying man asked for a priest to come to give him the last rites
He was given communion, but a few hours later vomited the host
The women who were watching over him caught the host and threw it into the fire
The next morning one of the women noticed the host between the ashes in the fire
It was still the same as when the priest had given it to the man. She put her hand into the fire to take it out
Amsterdam Abba *
The fire did not hurt her and the host was still cold. The host was taken to the Oude Kerk (the "Old Church") where also some miracles occurred
Bishop Jan van Arkel therefore proclaimed the occurrence miraculous
The house where the miracle took place was torn down and a chapel was built in its place; the Heilige Stede
One of the pilgrims who went to Amsterdam was the emperor to be, Maximilian of Austria. He seemed to be incurably ill but was miraculously cured
Amsterdam HEM Amsterdam ***
When Amsterdam was actually founded is uncertain
The first documented mention of the town dates from 1275, when Count Floris V of Holland granted it toll privileges
Legend has it that the founders were two Friesian fishermen who landed in their boat on the shores of the Amstel with their dog
Their descendants built dikes on either side of the river and in circa 1240 a dam In stages the town developed round the village centre, today's Dam square
In the late 16th century a period of great affluence started for Amsterdam
The Spanish had pillaged Antwerp in 1576, resulting in that town's rich merchants seeking refuge in Amsterdam
Three years later, in 1579, Amsterdam was freed from Spanish rule by the Union of Utrecht and became very prosperous
The influx of Flemish money and knowledge largely contributed to the 17th century boom in economy, arts and sciences
This company, the world's first multinational, had within the Netherlands a monopoly on trade with all countries east of South Africa
Although various Dutch harbours were used by the VOC, the larger part of the profits remained in Amsterdam
Amsterdam Ajax **
No surprise that in a place with so much trade and affluence an internationally recognised exchange bank(1609) and a stock exchange(1611) were founded
Shipping and trade – not always “fair trade”- were not limited to the east
Two decades after the founding of the VOC, in 1621, the WIC (the West India Company) was also founded, a company whose purpose was much the same as that of the VOC, but to the west
Holland, and notably Amsterdam, was becoming rich and influential
Apart from the two monopolists, many merchants ran their own companies, thus knitting an enormous web of commercial relations all over Europe and abroad
The immigration of Flemish painters influenced the Dutch painters, although the Dutch Masters eventually developed their own style
Thanks to their cunningness and the presence of a rich and interested public, the Netherlands got a pivotal role in 17th century painting
The most famous master, Rembrandt, lived in Amsterdam
A large-scale influx of immigrants that had been arriving in Amsterdam since 1576 not only assisted in the city's increase in wealth but also in its becoming over-populated
Amsterdam American Hotel ****
Early in the 17th century the decision was therefore taken that three new main canals, the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht should be dug around the old city borderline canal (today's Singelgracht)
These canals were soon lined with the mansions of wealthy merchants, the wealthiest of whom built what could be called city palaces along a section of the Herengracht
Amsterdam Vondel Amsterdam ****
These canals, and the smaller ones inter connecting them to each other, are the canals that are so famous among visitors to the city today
In the early 18th century, many Huguenots –exiled from France– came to Amsterdam
The wealthiest of them settled along the canals while those with a smaller budget often opted for the “Nieuwe Werk” (New Work), a 17th century neighbourhood just west of the canal area
Amsterdam Plantage **
The Nieuwe Werk is known nowadays as “the Jordaan”, probably because the Huguenots considered the neighbourhood the garden of Amsterdam
Just combine the French “jardin” with the Amsterdam accent, and you get the name Jordaan
During the Napoleonic era (1795-1813) Amsterdam became the capital of the newly created Kingdom of Holland with Napoleon's brother Louis as monarch
Amsterdam Radisson SAS Amsterdam Airport *****
Despite this new position, economically the period was a disaster for both the country and its new capital
In the beginning of the 19th century the situation was in fact such that almost no ships came to Amsterdam
The warehouses were almost empty, there was poverty and the population dropped
In 1813 the French were ousted and the House of Orange returned to the Netherlands: King William I
Amsterdam remained capital but the government returned to The Hague
King William worked hard to revitalise trade and industry in the country founding, among others, the Nederlandse Handel-Maatschappij (Dutch Trade Company)
Amsterdam NH Barbizon Palace *****
This company was initially located in The Hague but moved to Amsterdam in 1831
In 1839 a rail connection was opened between Amsterdam and Haarlem
However renewed wealth still was wanting.
Amsterdam Golden Tulip Amsterdam-Zaandam ****
There was enormous poverty and housing was abominable
The borders of the city were still the same as in 1662 and the ramparts were still located along the 17th century exterior moat (today's Nassaukade and Stadhouderskade)
The city was full and densely populated
In 1876 the North Sea Canal was opened connecting the port of the city directly to the North Sea
Also new housing districts were constructed outside of the 17th century city borderThe 20th century shows a much healthier Amsterdam. A new era had come with inventions such as electric streetcars, telephones etc...
Amsterdam Estheréa ****
The Housing-law (1901) gave rise to the foundation of non-profit housing corporations and set higher standards to the quality of housing
The Second World War caused the death of many citizens, especially Jews. The urban layout, except for the harbour, was not destroyed.
Today Amsterdam is a thriving metropolis that can compare itself with the capitals of the world not only in prosperity and economic activity but also leisure and pleasure
Amsterdam City Hotel Amsterdam **
Quite obvious: the canals, the bicycles, the Van Gogh Museum with the largest Van Gogh collection in the world, the Rijksmuseum with its many Rembrandts, the Anne Frank house
Less obvious, but just as important: the freedom to act as long as it does not disturb other citizens
This long-standing tradition of tolerance –or indifference- is reflected not only in the existence of the red light district and coffee shops, but also in the open attitude towards other cultures and attitudes
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