MANCAMONDO

Central Western
Europe

Kingdom of the Netherlands

The Benelux Union is a politico-economic union of three neighbouring
states in western Europe: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

The name Benelux is formed from joining the first
two or three letters of each country's name.

Benelux

Holland

AMSTERDAM

The Netherlands, also known informally as Holland, is
a densely populated country in Western Europe, also
incorporating three island territories in the Caribbean.

Originating as a small fishing village in the late 12th century,
Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the
world during the Dutch Golden Age (17th century), a result
of its innovative developments in trade. During that time,
the city was the leading centre for finance and diamonds.

Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country.

Amsterdam's name derives from Amstelredamme, indicative of the city's origin around a dam in the river Amstel.

Amsterdam Kingdom of the Netherlands february 2018

Amsterdam's main attractions include its historic canals, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum, Hermitage Amsterdam,
the Concertgebouw, the Anne Frank House, the Scheepvaartmuseum, the Amsterdam Museum, the Heineken Experience, the Royal Palace
of Amsterdam, Natura Artis Magistra, Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam, NEMO, the red-light district and many cannabis coffee shops.

Primarily known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses with
gabled facades; well-preserved legacies of the city's 17th-century Golden Age.

Cycling is key to the city's character, and there are numerous bike paths.

These characteristics are arguably responsible for attracting millions of Amsterdam's visitors annually.

Amsterdam Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, february 2018.

Amsterdam Kingdom of the Netherlands july 2016

Amsterdam is located in the Western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland, the capital of which is not Amsterdam, but rather Haarlem.

The river Amstel ends in the city centre and connects to a large number of canals that
eventually terminate in the IJ. Amsterdam is about 2 metres (6.6 feet) below sea level.

Amsterdam Centraal Station is the largest railway station in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Centraal was designed by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers and opened in 1889. It features a Gothic,
Renaissance Revival station building and a cast iron platform roof spanning approximately 40 metres.

Amsterdam Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, july 2016.

EYE Film Institute Netherlands is a film archive, museum, and cinema in Amsterdam that preserves
and presents both Dutch and foreign films screened in the Netherlands.

Amsterdam Kingdom of the Netherlands july 2016

Amsterdam Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, july 2016.

The Damrak is an avenue and partially filled in canal at the centre of Amsterdam, running
between Amsterdam Centraal in the north and Dam Square in the south.

The street was located on a rak (reach), a straight part of the Amstel river near a dam; hence the name. In the 19th century,
a section of it was filled in. Because of the former stock exchange building, the monumental Beurs van Berlage, and
several other buildings related to financial activities erected there in the early 20th century, the term "Damrak"
has come to be a synonym for the Amsterdam Stock Exchange in the same way "Wall Street"
is synonymous with the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.

Dam Square lies in the historical center of Amsterdam, approximately 750 metres south of the main transportation hub,
Centraal Station, at the original location of the dam in the river Amstel.

Amsterdam Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, july 2016.

The Rijksmuseum (English: National Museum) is a Dutch national museum dedicated to arts and history in Amsterdam.

The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and the Concertgebouw.

On 13 April 2013, after a ten-year renovation which cost € 375 million, the main building was reopened by Queen Beatrix.

The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, july 2016.

Amsterdam Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, july 2016.

The Royal Concertgebouw is a concert hall in Amsterdam. The Dutch term "concertgebouw" translates into English as "concert building".

In celebration of the building's 125th anniversary, Queen Beatrix bestowed the royal title "Koninklijk" upon the building
on 11 April 2013, as she had on the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra upon its 100th in 1988.

Amsterdam Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, july 2016.

The medieval and colonial age canals of Amsterdam, known as grachten, embraces the heart of the city where homes
have interesting gables. Beyond the Grachtengordel are the former working-class areas of Jordaan and de Pijp.

Kingdom of the Netherlands july 2016

The Amsterdam canal system is the result of conscious city planning.

In the early 17th century, when immigration was at a peak, a comprehensive plan was developed that was
based on four concentric half-circles of canals with their ends emerging at the IJ bay.

Known as the Grachtengordel, three of the canals were mostly for residential development: the Herengracht (where "Heren" refers
to Heren Regeerders van de stad Amsterdam (ruling lords of Amsterdam), and gracht means canal, so that the name can be
roughly translated as "Canal of the Lords"), Keizersgracht (Emperor's Canal), and Prinsengracht (Prince's Canal).

The fourth and outermost canal is the Singelgracht, which is often not mentioned on maps because it is a collective name
for all canals in the outer ring. The Singelgracht should not be confused with the oldest and innermost canal, the Singel.

The canals served for defence, water management and transport. Amsterdam Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, july 2016.

The 17th-century Canals of Amsterdam were listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2010, contributing to Amsterdam's fame as the "Venice of the North".

Along with De Wallen, the canals are the focal-point for tourists in the city.

Amsterdam has more than 100 km of canals, most of which are navigable by boat.

Amsterdam Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, july 2016.

De Wallen Amsterdam Red Light District july 2016

De Wallen or De Walletjes is the largest and best known red-light district in Amsterdam.

It consists of a network of alleys containing approximately three hundred one-room cabins rented by prostitutes who offer
their sexual services from behind a window or glass door, typically illuminated with red lights and blacklight.

Window prostitution is the most visible and typical kind of red-light district sex work in Amsterdam.

In De Wallen cis-gendered women sex workers illuminate their windows with red lights, while transsexual women sex workers use blue lights.

De Wallen, Amsterdam Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, july 2016.

Amsterdam Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, july 2016.

Amsterdam is famous for its vibrant and diverse nightlife. Amsterdam has many cafés. They range from large and modern to small and cosy.

The two main nightlife areas for tourists are the Leidseplein and the Rembrandtplein.

Amsterdam Holland, Kingdom of the Netherlands, july 2016.

Amsterdam Kingdom of the Netherlands 1997

Amsterdam is famous for its vibrant and diverse nightlife. The two main nightlife areas are the Leidseplein and the Rembrandtplein.

Amsterdam fans out south from the Amsterdam Centraal railway station. The Damrak is the main street and leads into the street Rokin.

Amsterdam Kingdom of the Netherlands 1997