Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the capital and has the highest population in the Netherlands. Although it is the capital, the seat of the government is at The Hague.

The city was founded around 1275 and got city rights in 1300. In 1538 the city had already 30,000 inhabitants. During the 17th century Amsterdam was one of the most important cities in the world and the commercial centre of northern Europe. An indication of its wealth is the massive city hall from 1665 (today the Royal Palace).

A large part of the 17th and 18th century Amsterdam is still intact. Due to this old centre, most of the high-rise buildings are located near the Ring highway. The most ambitious high-rise development is the South Axis (Zuidas) near the World Trade Centre. The tallest buildings in Amsterdam are located at the Omval district close to the Amstel railway station. Other areas with high-rise developments can be found near the Amsterdam Arena (stadium of the football club Ajax) and the Sloterdijk railway station.