Europe,  Netherlands,  Travel

Rotterdam – ‘The Destroyed City’

December 5, 2016 /

Rotterdam is a major port city in the Netherlands.  I knew close to nothing about this city prior to visiting during my Vacances de Toussaint in 2016.  I enjoyed the city so much, I revisited just three months later!  I decided to visit Rotterdam because it was right in between Antwerp and Amsterdam!  As it turns out, this city is extremely young with impressive modern architecture!

Rotterdam was bombed during World War II and nearly the entire city was destroyed.  There is an incredibly moving statue beside the Maritime Museum, by Ossip Zadkine, named “The Destroyed City.”  He said that when he arrived to Rotterdam after the war and saw the devastation that remained, he was inspired to make this statue. The monument resembles a distressed figure missing its core.  I love that he chose to portray it this way.

After the devestation of WWII, Rotterdam was nearly completely rebuilt!  Now, Rotterdam is well-known for its bold architecture and modern style!  I loved seeing the traditional Dutch architecture mixed with modern throughout the city.

Rotterdam, Netherlands | Adventures with Shelby

Below are some of my favorite highlights of the city:

Erasmusbrug

This bridge connects the northern and southern parts of Rotterdam.  The second largest bridge in the Netherlands, Erasmusbrug is actually named for the Dutch Philosopher Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus. The bridge has been nicknamed De Zwaan (The Swan) due to its asymmetric pylon.

Het Park

Southwest of the Erasmus Bridge, following the river (can you tell I used this bridge as my point of reference during my stay?), is the beautiful Het Park.  I spent a couple hours meandering around this park during the morning.  There are several ponds scattered around, and lots of people riding bikes, picnicking, or walking through.

The Euromast tower is right at the edge of the park.  The ride up the tower is definitely overpriced for the amount of time you’ll spend there, however the view was pretty incredible.  It was a bit foggy when I went up, but even with the fog I was amazed!  Before you go up the top of the tower there is a section for walking around in the middle.  The near see-through stairs had me second guessing my comfort with heights!  But the top of the tower is completely sealed.  There is a bench to sit around and there is a recording that identifies the different parts of the city that you are viewing as it rotates and elevates.  This would be an AMAZING place to watch the sunset.

 


Markthal

Centrum is the main part of Rotterdam, located north of the river.  There are several really amazing things to see in the center of city.  Markthal is pretty hard to miss.  This giant horseshoe is an office and residential building with a market inside.  

Centrum Rotterdam | Adventures with Shelby

At night, the stunning ceiling design is lit up.  The ceiling is titled the ‘Horn of Plenty’ by Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam. The 3D digital design was broken up into 4,000 pieces and printed on aluminum panels!  Some call it the Sistine Chapel of Rotterdam.

Markthal Rotterdam | Adventures with Shelby

The market has roughly 100 fresh food stands inside, along with restaurants and other stands.  It’s generally open between 10:00am – 8:00pm, with a little variation on the weekends.  You can try samples as you browse, which is always my favorite! 

Two things you absolutely must try: De Rotterdamsche Oude cheese and Stroopwafels.  The cheese vendors all offer samples and will explain the differences between the lengths of aging.  I tried the same cheese aged three different lengths of time and they have totally different tastes!  

Stroopwafels are a Dutch classic – two thin cookies sandwiched by caramel or syrup.  You can get FRESH stroopwafel, warm and gooey, in Markthal.  Absolutely lifechanging!

Kijk-Kubus

Kijk-kubus, or the cube houses, are houses designed by Peit Blom in the Netherlands.  These crazy little cube homes exist in Rotterdam and in Helmond.  The design is supposed to represent a village within a city – with the houses representing trees.

Kijk-kubus | Adventures with Shelby

Living as an urban roof

The complex contains 38 cube houses.  Surprisingly, the houses each contain three floors and roughly 1,100 square feet of space!  The courtyard area is open for the public to walk through. One of the cubes is a hostel and another has been set up as a “show cube” so visitors can see what the inside looks like.  

Oude Haven

Just between Markthal and the Nieuwe Maas river sits Oude Haven, or the Old Port. There are tons of waterfront restaurants to enjoy a drink and take in the view of the beautiful old ships.

It was a bit too cold for outdoor seating when I visited.  However, just before I stopped into a restaurant to warm up I saw the goofiest thing ever – the “Hot Tug”!  A group of men were in a little hot-tub-turned-tug-boat cruising along Oude Haven!!

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is a must-visit when in Rotterdam.  The museum opened in 1849 and includes a massive collection ranging from medieval to contemporary art.  

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen | Adventures with Shelby

Naturally, the museum focuses a lot on Dutch art however the permanent exhibit includes well-known artists from other regions including Monet, Cézanne, and Dalí.

Rotterdam was such a pleasant surprise!  I highly recommend visiting – it is an easy trip from Amsterdam or Antwerp!  Also, while visiting Rotterdam – check out the beautiful Kinderdijk windmills!

 


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Rotterdam, Netherlands | Adventures with Shelby

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