Page 46 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Amsterdam

44 ❯❯ The Top 10 of Everything

Moments in
Amsterdam’s History

c.1125: First Settlers
1
Fishermen settled at the
mouth of the Amstel river, build ing
huts on man-made mounds
called terps for flood protection.
With the growth of the new
settlement came feudal conflict
between the self-made Counts
of Holland and Lords van Amstel.
1275: Freedom from
2
Tolls
In the earliest document to refer
to Amsterdam, Count Floris V
of Holland granted its citizens
exemption from tolls when
transporting their goods by river,
leading to the first charter in 1300. Tulipmania
1345: Miracle of
1609: Plans for the
3 5
Amsterdam
Grachtengordel
At a house in Kalver straat, a The dawn of the Golden Age, when
priest gave a dying man the the arts flourished in Amsterdam
last sacraments. Unable to keep (see p33), saw ambitious plans for a
the communion wafer down, he triple canal ring around the city (see
regurgitated it onto the fire. Next p15). Herengracht, Keizersgracht and
morning, the wafer was found intact Prinsengracht were built in two
among the embers. News of the stages, with the Singel later
miracle spread, and Amsterdam considered part of the ring.
soon became a place of pilgrimage. 1634–1637: Tulipmania
1566 and 1578:
4 6
The Dutch passion for tulips
Iconoclasm and
dates from the late 16th century,
Alteration when the first bulbs were imported
As Protestantism swept from Asia. In 1634, the tulip was
northern Europe, quoted on the Stock
Dutch Calvinists Ex change, and speculation
rebelled against their began. Fortunes were
intolerant Spanish made overnight as the
Catholic ruler, Felipe II. craze led to spectacular
In the Beeldenstorm price increases; the
or Iconoclasm, the inevitable crash caused
Calvinists stormed the scores of bankruptcies.
Catholic churches
1806: Kingdom
and destroyed their 7
religious artifacts. The of the
city finally became Netherlands
Protestant,in a Established
peaceful revolution After the formation of the
known as the Alteratie Batavian Republic in 1795,
or Alteration (see p25). Louis Napoleon rule was shared between

Eyewitness Travel – Top 10 series LAYERS PRINTED:
Two-column, 8.5pt grid “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v.1.5)
044-045_Top_10_Amsterdam.indd 44 06/05/2016 12:07
Date 28th January 2015
Size 100mm x 191mm