"Rotterdam" Rotterdam by nighthawk

Rotterdam Travel Guide: 1,407 reviews and 3,780 photos

Willem s bridge - Rotterdam
Willem s bridge
Willembrug
Euromast
Eurotower - Rotterdam

Eurotower

Lesson one can take after seeing this photograph:<BR>never take a pic from a driving car when its raining lol!<P>By the way, this is the <strong>Euromast.</strong>
The Euromast is one of the world's great towers. It's height is 600ft although the traditional viewing platform is at just 350ft. An elevator takes the intrepid visitor the rest of the way if one desires to go right to the very top. The views from Euromast are the finest in all Rotterdam, with a particularly good view of the Europoort.
<BR>I have been many times in Rotterdam. As a child to visit my grandparents, who lived in Hoogvliet, and the last few years because my youngest needed medical treatment in the Sophia Children Hospital.<BR>When we were there, we walked many times through the city. We then saw the cubical pole houses. These bizare creations were built under architecture of P. Blom (1978-19884). Next thing we then saw was the White House, one of the few building that did not get destroyed during WW II. For years, this 45 metres high building was the highest building in Europe.
From the window of our bedroom at the Ronald McDonald house we could see the Swan-bridge, better known as Erasmusbridge, or Parkinsonbridge, as the folks from Rotterdam call it. During night time it is beautifully lit.
Right across the street (Rochussenstreet) of the McDonald-house was the Dutch Architectural Museum with its enlightened arcade. Also very nice to look at.
In May 1940 the old city heart was bombed and further more destroyed by a big fire. When the smoke pulled up, little was left. After the war the city heart was rebuilt which resulted in a city with more modern architecture than any city in The Netherlands. That's how it came that the Dutch Architecture Institute is located here. The building itself is an architectural speciality.

As said before, up till 1940 the city inner heart was much like it still is in Amsterdam: small crooked streets, a coulorfull crowd and many small bars. Nowadays only a few buildings of that time are still standing: the city hall at Coolsingel and the neighbouring post office, the Laurens church (heavily damaged, yet restored) and the oldest building of the centre, the Schieland house.<BR>The untamable building thrift that came after the war had ended has for ever put its mark on the looks of the inner city. Building architects created lots of space and open areas and that makes, that lots of people feel a litte akward with it. I myself am ambivalent towards it: I do like the malls and can even see some fun in the "buy gutter" or "koopgoot" as it is called in Dutch. But I did grow tired of it after walking time after time across huge squares with only modern architectural buildings around it. I started to long back to the cosyness I knew back home in Groningen. I also grew tired of the fuzz all the people here in the west made and the fast way of talking.
<BR>Rotterdam lost its heart in 1940 and the famous statue 'City without a heart' of Zadkine still puts his arms up to heaven on the Leuve harbor as proof of times lost. It stands in front of the Maritime Museum.

Erasmusbrug
Erasmusbridge - Rotterdam

Erasmusbridge

I can see why the people call it "The Swan", brrr I did not like walking over it.....wind blowing in from the right, bridge rocking and when a tram passed by, the bolts were rambling....scary....there was a lot of water beneath me ...

  • Intro Updated Apr 30, 2003
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Kop van Zuid info - Rotterdam Kop van Zuid Favorites (4)

If you visit this part of Rotterdam visit the information office. You can find all sorts of information here and they... more travel advice

Warning sign Rotterdam - Rotterdam Winter time Warnings and Dangers (2)

In the so called 'Kop van Zuid' (Head of the south or something) is a bridge and you can find this funny warning sign... more travel advice

Legs Rotterdam - Rotterdam Museum garden Things to Do (4)

If you walk past the museum Boymans van Beuningen into the garden behind it and when you are close to the Nature... more travel advice

car, pie shop Rotterdam - Rotterdam Cakes! Local Customs (5)

Wow! window shopping that made me drool! They sure sell some great cakes! Calling themselves cake-architects .. well I... more travel advice

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