The port city of Amsterdam
February 03, 2012 The port city of Amsterdam ( Dutch Amsterdam ? / i ) is the capital of the Netherlands and its most populous city. Amsterdam had 780 152 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2010 [2] ) and as an agglomeration “Groot-Amsterdam” about 1.1 million (2010) [3] . In the greater Amsterdam area, the northern part of the Dutch conurbation Randstad makes, there were about 2.3 million people (2010) [4] . Although the seat of government of the Plastic Storage Containers country as well as the royal residence in the 60 Bankruptcy kilometers from The Hague are located, is Amsterdam since 1983 under the Dutch Constitution, the capital of the Netherlands. [5]
Amsterdam is located in the province of North Holland , at the mouth of the Amstel and the IJ in the IJsselmeer . Amsterdam by the North Sea Canal to the North Sea combined. The city is protected by numerous canals criss-crossed. Among other things she is famous.
The town’s name derives from a 13th Century built dam with sluice in the river Amstel from. The Abdeichung the estuary was necessary to protect the buildings previously formed on both banks of the river from storm surges, as the former Zuiderzee was an open bay to the North Sea , and the country fell because of drainage measures. Such dikes, as well as other places were built along the Zuiderzee, included locks, to allow the flow of water through it and not to obstruct the navigation.
The association set in the Amstel dam on both sides of the previously formed nuclei settlement, which still today as Eastern Canal Ring and Nieuwe Zijde be called (old and new page).
Typical row of houses in Amsterdam
At the site of the Amstel dam was built during the Middle Ages an urban place that even today the name Dam bears and is the center of the city.
Significance of the emblem [ Edit ]
The coat of arms of Amsterdam consists of three vertically arranged Andrew’s crosses , almost identical to the city flag on the crosses, however, are arranged horizontally. Because of their narrow design, the crosses are as Flanchis known.
The exact meaning of the emblem is unknown. But there are several theories that are considered by historians to be plausible, but so far can not be further substantiated. The two prevailing theories:
The three crosses symbolize the three plagues of flood , fire and plague , the Amsterdam threat
The crosses were used to identify fords of ancient trade routes. The crest of surrounding cities have a similar arrangement of crosses: the emblem of Amstelveen counts four of the Amstel Ouder- five diagonal crosses.
Another theory is that the three crosses on the Apostle Andrew to remember.
Regarded as evidence that the city’s coat of arms in the 15th Century accepted. The Roman-German King and later Emperor Maximilian I in 1489 gave the city the right to add his crown, the arms. This was the thanks for the financial support provided to him as heir of the Burgundian Netherlands , had been granted during his debate with Dutch nobles of the city. However, the legend says that Maximilian was recovered during a stay in the city after a prayer in the churches of a serious illness and therefore decorate the city’s coat with his left crown. Maximilian was to crown his coronation as Holy Roman emperor by the imperial crown replaced. The time of Emperor Rudolf II , who allowed himself to make a new crown, which later became the Austrian imperial crown , was adapted to the shape of the crown. The lion as a sign holder in the 16th Added century. [6]
Queen Wilhelmina took the attitude of the citizens during the occupation by the German Reich in the Second World War and especially the February strike after the removal of the first Jews in Amsterdam in February 1941 on the occasion, the city with the slogan “Heldhaftig, Vastberaden, Barmhartig” (Heroic, Steadfast, Merciful to appreciate). This motto came in 1947 in the arms.
The emblem is everywhere in the city, as it is not just the typical Amsterdam bollards ( Amsterdammertjes leave), but even manhole covers, logos and many public buildings.
See also : Flag of Amsterdam
Amsterdam from the Middle Ages [ Edit ]
Oldest known overall view of Amsterdam by Cornelis Anthonisz, 1538
Historic Map of Amsterdam Meyers 1888
The Dutch National Monument
Until the 12th Century, the modern province of Holland , for the most part poorly habitable. It was a very damp area, which was intersected mainly of marsh and swamp land and consisted of several rivers. One of these rivers was the Amstel , which the IJ mentioned estuary resulted. Towards the end of the 12th Century, grew up around a dam in the river, a small settlement. According to archaeological excavations proves the old nursery rhyme Amsterdam, the beautiful city, built on stilts , are quite correct: in fact could be built in the swamp with the help of countless piles as underground houses and streets.
The dam in the Amstel Amsterdam, the city owes its name. Today the dam is still existent, since it was used as a square, the Dam . Beginning of the 13th Century Amsterdam was awarded by the former sovereign rights of the city. In 1369 Amsterdam was a member of the Hanseatic League . The fishing, the most important source of income initially gave way gradually to the trade. The annexation of Portugal by Spain in 1580 forced the Netherlands to the north, even ships to India to let go. The first runs were made in Amsterdam and is equal to a big success. Encouraged by this result, were made everywhere in the country plans to send more ships to India.
From these individual initiatives in 1602 was the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC). The city recorded just over half of the total capital that was invested in the new company. Towards the middle of the 17th Century, Amsterdam was the richest city in Europe. In their ports and warehouses piled spices , silk and other treasures from India and the Pacific.
Founded in 1609 Congregational religious refugees from England under the leadership of John Smyth and Thomas Helwys in a bakery on the Amsterdam Bakkerstraat the first Baptist church . She was the nucleus of one of today’s largest Protestant church communities.
In 1672 the powerful Netherlands got involved in a war with France and England. The Dutch War ended in 1679 with benefits to the French crown. Through the chaos of war, the port of Amsterdam inaccessible to the fleet with goods from India. This led to the demise of Amsterdam as one of the most important transshipment ports for international trade , and led to the end of the century to a change in economic structures; Amsterdam lost its position as a major port city, but gained an increasing influence on the European money market . Amsterdam managed to become the financial center of the world, as a banker for European princes who led with borrowed hcg diet money their expensive wars.
Upon his appointment as King of Holland , on 23 June 1806 declared Louis Bonaparte Amsterdam as its capital. This could not however prevent Amsterdam in the early decades of the 19th Century, becoming a “dead” and was impoverished city. The city experienced a new lease until 1876, when the North Sea Canal was opened, which connects Amsterdam to the North Sea and thus to the United Kingdom and the United States gave. Amsterdam was once the center of cultural and scientific life, although it economically gradually, especially after the Second World War , of Rotterdam has been surpassed.
Many centuries-old monuments adorn the city center. Nearly 7,000 merchants and warehouses as well as nearly 1,300 bridges in the 16th to 18 Century bear witness to this golden age . The trading houses were built along the 165 canals, which were used as transportation routes for the rapid distribution of imported goods to accomplish in the city and trading offices. The largest town in Europe, with its beautiful buildings was in 2010 on the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage included. [7]
See also : Regent of Amsterdam
Demographic development [ Edit ]
Population of Amsterdam 1300-2006
Symbolism: The city was in the 13th Century to the reign of the Lords of Amstel belonging fishing village. His coat was in the 15th Century. The large coat of arms with the two golden lions as a sign holder was given by Maximilian of Austria in 1489, the imperial crown on the shield. The three diagonal crosses to the Apostle Andrew, remember, who died a martyr’s death on the cross. In 1947 came the coat of arms motto so. After the liberation in 1945 from fascism gave the queen of this city’s motto “Heldenhaftig, constantly (also resolved) merciful” as a tribute to the attitude of the citizens during the occupation in the years 1940 to 1945.
Coat Description : In red with black pile with three silver Flanchis shows two golden lions as supporters and rotgezungten in the white band in the foreign exchange black capital letters “HELDENHAFTIG VASTBERADEN BARMHARTIG”. On the shield is the golden imperial crown.
Politics [ Edit ]

Since 7 July 2010, the former Minister of Construction and Integration, Eberhard van der Laan , the new mayor of Amsterdam. [8]
Amsterdam since 1976, the center of drug tourism in Europe. This is due to the liberal policy of the Netherlands. Note the large number of foreign drug users. In 2005 there were around 750 coffee shops throughout the Netherlands. In 2009 there were 228 coffee shops in Amsterdam. [9]
Many foreign dissenters Amsterdam was chosen as the new home. A common motivation for this was the former Liberal policy of the city, often in combination with repressive policies the country of origin.
Since 1998, the police may carry out checks on persons, which is done under the name Wapenvrij Amsterdam (‘Amsterdam weapons-free “). The reason was the large number and frequent use of illegal weapons. Among other things, there is increased identity checks. Since 1 January 2005 in the Netherlands, a total identification requirement or requirement to carry , according to which persons aged 14 and over accompanied by a passport. However, it is not just about gun ownership, are also found large quantities of drugs and people who are looking for a long time because of various offenses by the police. In principle, any person who resides at the time of the controls in the dependent territories are controlled. The police are empowered to control packaging and contents of goods, transport and clothing of the people. [10] controls can only be carried out in the Mayor dependent areas (‘Article 151B van de Gemeentewet “). [11] The dependent territories are: De Ruyterkade, IJtunnel , Prins Hendrikkade Schippersgracht, Rapenburgerplein, Nieuwe Herengracht Herengracht , Reguliersgracht, Lijnbaansgracht, Nieuwe Vijzelstraat, Weteringlaan, Stadhouderskade, Nassaukade, Leidsegracht, Huidenstraat, Wijde Heisteeg, Singel, Droogbak. In Amsterdam Zuidoost : Daalwijkdreef away, Elsrijkdreef, Provincial, metro line to Bijlmerdreef (Ganzenhoef) ‘s Gravendijkdreef, Gaasperparkpad, Kanterhofspad, Nellesteinpad, Karspeldreef, Gooiseweg, Gulden Kruispad, Flierbosdreef, Karspeldreef-Hoogoorddreef.
ime zone [ Edit ]
Amsterdam and the Netherlands are all in the Central European time zone . Since the city lies far to the west in this time zone, the sun is only at 12.40 clock (during the summer at 13:40 clock) just to the south. This results in the summer with the northern location of the city at a late sunset, in summer it can be up to 23 clock yet “light”. Many department stores also open until about 10:00 clock, bars and coffee shops are usually open until 2:00 clock.
Architecture [ Edit ]
Architectural features [ Edit ]
Corner of Keizersgracht / Leidsegracht with the typical Amsterdam, relatively tall buildings
As in the history of Amsterdam’s canals constitute one of the main routes for freight and people, it was customary to measure the taxes chiropractic marketing for a building in the breadth of the canal. Thus arose mainly in Amsterdam houses that have very narrow fronts along the canals, but have to have enough living space or pay day loan storage space for goods that are relatively long and high. This design was suitable for the plant but not wider stairwells, but were often too narrow stairwells to transport bulky goods or furniture through them. Items that were difficult to transport over the staircase, were promoted instead of the windows in a house. To facilitate this process are located on the gables of many historic buildings protruding beams, on which pulleys can be attached. Furthermore, many facades are slightly tilted forward, which is architecturally wanted it, and is built op vlucht called. [13] . The forward inclination of the pediment is 0.2 to 2.5 cm per 1 m height. The gables were not built to the width due to the narrowness, but they were built in a rich design in the air. Gable variations of four different centuries, the Old Town. Stepped gable, gable beak, bell gable pediments and moldings can be seen very often. [14]
Centraal Station, Central Station, in the foreground Smits Coffiehuis
On the other hand was in Amsterdam the houses formerly built on wooden stilts and they have over the centuries decayed slowly. [15] Therefore, to make the historic districts of Amsterdam, a slightly “crooked” or “distorted” impression. [16] Amsterdam is at about five million wood piles, which are necessary because of the moist, sandy subsoil. Today are used because of the longer shelf-life concrete piles. The main station is at about 8,600 piles, [17] . the Royal Palace at around 13 659 posts [18] Much of this was out of the wood piles Black Forest and the Franconian Forest with rafts procured. Thus, all posts are from the Central Station Frankenwald. [19] Also, the lumber for houses and ships, and the firewood was transported to the site on rafts made of these woods.
See also : canals in Amsterdam
Graffiti [ Edit ]
Amsterdam is one of the most important graffiti capitals. Although certainly the New York Writing movement , with the hip-hop influence is connected, the Amsterdam graffiti, here played the punk movement in the beginning, the more important role. Amsterdam graffiti influenced since the early 1980s, many graffiti style across the world.
Gay Pride in Amsterdam [ Edit ]
With the opening of two large dance floors for homosexuals, 1955 De Schakel at Leidseplein and 1958 De Odeon Kring (DOK) and the later onset of liberal attitudes and policies in the wake of the sexual revolution auto transport in the mid-1960s, Amsterdam “gay capital” of Europe. [ 21] The two dance floors (now closed) were the population rather than cruising and Klappensex . They made a big attraction for tourists continue dar. Since 1996, there is the ” Amsterdam Gay Pride , “a Canal Parade , which annually on the first Saturday in August in the Prinsengracht and Amstel takes place. In 2008, the Amsterdam Gay Pride for the best Gay Pride proclaimed in Europe. [22]
Economy and infrastructure [ Edit ]
Industry [ Edit ]
The Zuidas district, the new business district of Amsterdam. Many large Dutch companies have their headquarters here
Many Dutch companies, such as the brewery Heineken and electronics company Philips , headquartered in Amsterdam. The major Dutch banks ABN AMRO , Rabobank and ING Groep are owners of office buildings at the railway station Sloterdijk in the northwest of the city and at the World Trade Center in the South. Computer companies such as Cisco Systems , have their European headquarters in the southeast industrial area in Bullewijk. The Amsterdam port after the port of Rotterdam is the second largest in the Netherlands.
Tourism [ Edit ]
Tourism is, in addition to the so-called Counsil Tax, a tax on houses and apartments, an important source of income. Every year, millions of tourists from all over the city, many hotels are found throughout the city. Attractions are largely the many canals , coffee shops and museums and the red light district De Wallen in Amsterdam city center.
The Rembrandtplein is one of its theaters, cinemas and many restaurants and pubs of the most popular nightlife areas of Amsterdam. Near the Leidseplein and the nightclubs are located Holland casino for gamblers.
Traffic [ Edit ]

View of the Amsterdam city center canals, boat trips and many bicycles
The most common means of transportation in the city t shirt design is, as everywhere in the Netherlands, the bicycle ( Fiets ). A network of bicycle paths ( fietspaden ) runs right through Amsterdam, beside all roads and canals, through all the parks and connects all neighboring communities.
In addition to the IJ , who suspension lift kits over the North Sea Canal empties into the North Sea and also a connection to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal , has a system of connecting canals, which draws a semicircle around the city, the city with the national canal system. On the run, the IJ Amsterdam Phen375 ferries .
Metro [ Edit ]
The Amsterdam Metro operates four different lines, including Amstelveen binds to the south of the city. Apart from the metro, there is a close-knit tram and bus network. All transportation to the OV-chip card (the replacement for the previous strippenkaart ) of the national tariff system will be used.
In 2017 is the (under construction since 2003) North-South metro operation. This line runs from Amsterdam North , at the IJ, the central station and continue through downtown to the train station Amsterdam Zuid . The realization of this subway is done under very difficult conditions, on the one hand, the soil is very unstable, the other must be ensured that the historic fabric of the city is not damaged. Has twice shut down the building had to be at the Vijlzelgracht because of buildings in the immediate vicinity of the site reductions were noted. The building is so controversial, the funding runs problematic. It was not until the municipality of Amsterdam, two years after construction, the construction project to insure against possible damage to historical buildings.
Rail [ Edit ]
The main railway station ” Amsterdam Centraal “is on the edge of the center of the city on an artificial island. Connecting from him and nine other stations of the city from the features of the Dutch Railways (NS), the capital of every province of the Netherlands. International connections are made several times a day with the ICE International to Oberhausen, Cologne and Frankfurt, with the Intercity train to Hanover and Berlin, and the Thalys to Antwerp, Brussels and Paris. From Amsterdam the night train connections are still numerous CityNightLine to the cities of Central and Eastern Europe offered.
Road [ Edit ]
Amsterdam is the ring road A10 enclosed, with access to the A8 in the north-west near Zaandam direction of Alkmaar , in the southwest of the A 4 , southeast of the A2 direction Utrecht and east of the A1 direction Almere / Hilversum .
The city is the starting and end point of the German-Dutch holiday road Orange Route .
Aviation [ Edit ]
The ” Luchthaven Schiphol “(IATA: AMS, ICAO: EHAM international Amsterdam Airport Schiphol ) is the international airport of the city of Amsterdam, the largest in the Netherlands and – in terms of passenger numbers and aircraft movements in 2008 – the fourth largest airport in Europe. It is the hub of the largest Dutch airline KLM and is located southwest of Amsterdam, between Amstelveen and denver martial arts Hoofddorp .
Tunnel traffic [ Edit ]
The Zeeburgertunnel connects with a length of 946 meters, the Zeeburgereiland in East Amsterdam with Amsterdam North .
The city center of Amsterdam with Amsterdam is connected with the North IJtunnel . It was completed in 1968 and has a length of 1,682 meters.
The Coentunnel provides a transport service between Amsterdam and West Zaanstreek dar. It has a length of 1,283 meters and was opened in 1966th In the spring of 2009 with the construction of a second Coen tunnel was begun, which should be finished in 2012.
Shipping [ Edit ]
→ Main article : Port of Amsterdam
The Port of Amsterdam is the free auto insurance quotes second largest harbor in the Netherlands and the fourth largest in Europe. The harbor is tidal and free from the sea on the North Sea Canal reached. Most docks are located between Amsterdam and IJmuiden. Other ports that are part of Amsterdam, IJmuiden , Beverwijk and Zaanstad . About the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, Amsterdam is connected to the European hinterland.
Universities [ Edit ]
Amsterdam has two universities. The Vrije Universiteit (VU) is the only Protestant university in the Netherlands. In contrast, the urban Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA), which is the largest university in the city, no denominational loyalty. Both universities have university hospitals.
Media [ Edit ]
Amsterdam is the world’s largest non-profit Internet exchange AMS-IX . Amsterdam is also host to the largest European trade fair for Media Production, the IBC .
Sons and daughters of Amsterdam [ Edit ]

→ Main article : List of sons and daughters of Amsterdam
Further reading [ edit ]
Bettina Baltschev: A year in Amsterdam . Journey into everyday life. Herder, Freiburg in Breisgau / Basel / Vienna 2008, ISBN 978-3451060021 . (= Herder spectrum band 6002)
Christoph Driessen : A Short History of Amsterdam . Blows, Regensburg, 2010, ISBN 978-3-7917-2272-6 .
Herman Janse: palen Amsterdam gebouwd op. 6th Edition, Ploegsma, Amsterdam 2010 (First Edition: De Brink, Amsterdam, 1993), ISBN 978-90-216-7031-7 (Dutch).
Marco HD van Leeuwen: The Logic of Charity: Amsterdam, 1800-1850. Palgrave, Basingstoke / New York, NY 2000, ISBN 0-333-69603-4 (English).
Ingo Schiweck, Maik Kopleck: Past Finder Amsterdam. From Golden Age to Anne Frank . With numerous historical photographs. Past Finder, Düsseldorf 2010. ISBN 978-988-99787-8-5
Siggi Weidemann: Instructions for Amsterdam . Third Edition, Piper, Munich / Zurich 2010 (first edition 2005), ISBN 978-3-492-27539-2 .
he Group was formed in 1991 from a merger of insurer Nationale-Nederlanden with NMB Postbank Group and named after the denver injury lawyer merger Nederlanden Groep International (ING) . The abbreviation ING , however, was so well known that the name changed accordingly.
ING Groep NV is a holding company that acts as the parent company for Chicago Criminal Attorney several banks and insurance companies, such as the Dutch ING Bank, or the German subsidiary of ING-DiBa Denver Divorce Attorney . Measured by market capitalization, the company is the eighth largest financial services providers worldwide and the highest fees in the Netherlands.
On the Forbes list for fiscal year 2007, ING Groep’s sales for the ninth-largest company in the world.
After the false speculations Nick Leeson and the collapse was the Barings Bank for a symbolic price of 1 pound sterling acquired in 1995. In 1999, the German was BHF-Bank adopted.
Financial Crisis 2007/2008 [ Edit ]
Due to the financial crisis , ING Groep, had on 19 October 2008 ten billion euros to take government aid to complete. The equity ratio is enhanced, thus the group can obtain additional liquidity to the market more cheaply. In addition, claims to be the market price is also supported on 17 October after announcing a loss of 500 million euros in the third quarter of 2008 had fallen to its lowest level since the mid-1990s. For the full cash advance loans year 2008 net loss was recorded from 171 million euros. ING Bank is the first Dutch financial company, the agent of a emergency fund of the Dutch government to support banks to complete. In February, 80 percent of a nominal € 28 billion in major real estate loan portfolio taken over by the Dutch State. This is the group, according to the European Union until the year 2013 are broken into two parts. This step is halved and the risk of the Group’s business will be reduced. [6] As part of the strategy presented in 2009, “Back to Basics” has already sold several business units and affiliates.
The Financial Stability Board ( FSB ) of the Federal Bank as Financial Stability known Plastic Storage Bins [1] , is an international organization that oversees the global financial system and makes recommendations. It is at the top of the group of the twenty most important industrialized and emerging economies (G20) in April 2009 in London as the successor to the Financial Stability Forum was set up. The FSB is based at the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland. In addition to institutions from the G-20 countries are international institutions like the World Bank , the European Central Bank and European Commission member. [2]
Contents [ Hide ]
A task
2 Organization
3 Chairman of the FSB
4 Notes and references
5 External links
Tasks [ Edit ]
The tasks include the FSB
The assessment of risks of the financial system and the development of measures against it.
The promotion of cooperation and exchange of information between institutions responsible for financial stability.
Monitoring and advising on market developments and their impact on regulation.
Monitoring and advising on best practice standards for the regulation
Implementation of joint strategic studies on the development of policies of international standards-setting dui lawyer chicago bodies to ensure that their work on time, coordinated, focused on priorities and gaps.
Establishing policies and support for the establishment of monitoring committees.
Development of risk management plans for financial crises, particularly in regard to systemically important firms.
Cooperation with the International Monetary shape with the introduction of an early warning.
Organization [ Edit ]
The organization is set by statute (Financial Stability Board Charter). [3]
The FSB meets twice a year and otherwise as needed. In addition, regional conferences are held, attended by non-members.
Between meetings, the FSB is headed by a chairman and a secretary Wire Cart Covers assigned to him. Decisions take place in the plenary of the members.
An essential Relevant Life Insurance part of the work of the FSB is the publication of studies and recommendations. These are available on the website of the FSB of the public.
Chairman of the FSB [ Edit ]
Mario Draghi (2009-2011), from November 2011 President of the European Central Bank and in 2011 president of the Italian National Bank .
Mark Carney (since November 2011), since 2008 director of the Bank of Canada .