Important Destinations In Amsterdam Travel

Amsterdam, also known as the "Venice of the North", is the largest and the capital city of the Netherlands. Like Venice, it is known for its canals that were built in the 17th century. As of 2006, the population in the city of Amsterdam has almost reached the one million mark at 743,027. Being one of the oldest cities in Europe, Amsterdam travel is made interesting by cultural and historic sites that are truly worth visiting.

One of the most important aspects of Amsterdam travel is a view of its unique and visually delightful architecture. Amsterdam is a fusion of 17th century and modern architecture. There are an estimated 7000 registered buildings with historic relevance in Amsterdam. Moreover, it is considered as one of the biggest city centers in Europe as it is made of 90 islands that are connected by 400 bridges. Its old churches are also favorite travel spots for many tourists. The oldest church found in this city is the Oude Kerk that was built in the 13th century and is currently found in the red-light district of Amsterdam. A perfectly good example of a building with modern architecture in this city is the Museum of the Amsterdam School.

Another important part of Amsterdam travel is a view of its world-famous windmills. The windmills were mostly built outside the urban areas because buildings block the movement of the wind. The windmills that are nearest to the historic city center of Amsterdam are De Gooyer and De Otter. The city is also home to a number of museums that should be included in the Amsterdam travel of every tourist. The biggest and the most important art and history museum in this European city is the Rijksmuseum - masterpieces exhibition which houses some of the works of renowned artists like Vermeer, Rembrandt and other great Dutch painters. The Van Gogh Museum should also not be missed, as this is where many, though not all, of the artistic works of Van Gogh can be found. For those who love movies, the Filmmuseum, is an important destination. This is where important historical and contemporary Dutch films are preserved and exhibited. The Anne Frank House is another tourist attraction of Amsterdam. This house is where Anne Frank, a Jewish girl, lived and wrote her world-famous diary entries as she and her family hid from the Nazis.

For the more adventurous and less conservative, the red light district of Amsterdam is usually a part of their Amsterdam travel. This part of the city is also called "De Wallen" in Dutch, which means "the walls" because the canals found in the red light district were once an important component of the defenses of the city. Prostitution is very rampant in this area. Bars and restaurants can also be found here. Window prostitution is commonplace in the red light district as well as numerous sexshops and peep show bars. It is ironic to know that establishments that cater to the sex industry presently surround the oldest church in Amsterdam. Nevertheless, this part of the city is considered a safe area because police authorities and many security cameras are concentrated in this district. Rest assured, it would not ruin the Amsterdam travel.

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