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Rotterdam Walking Tour

This is the fifth in a series of tours put together for those who like to walk and see some of the sights around the world. The others include -- Bruges, Belgium -- Tallinn, Estonia -- Amsterdam, Netherlands -- Haarlem, Netherlands.
This tour is a bit different in that Rotterdam is a very modern city, built up from the ashes after WWII. The city now has some of the most unique architecture gathered in one place. There remain only a few quaint alleys or ancient buildings to visit. Instead we will see spectacular bridges, cubic houses, an observation tower and small harbors of the past. Did you know that this is the place where the pilgrims left Europe on the Mayflower in 1620?

 

More and more cruise ships are making Rotterdam one of the ports of call. So I have made the walking tour start at the cruise ship terminal. The picture above shows a large cruise ship to the left of the modern skyscrapers and the old brick building that used to house the offices of the Holland America Line (HAL). This is particularly significant for me, because this was the place where I boarded an old ship and left Holland in 1953 to emigrate to the USA.
The tour has several stops and places of special interest. They are marked on the interactive map at the end of this description. You will also find some historical notes in green. And since so many who read this are also interested in other things to do than walk, I have included several options for sight seeing and museum visits. If you want to skip the following comments about Rotterdam and its history and go to the tour, click here.

A Bit of History

There are several towns in the Netherlands that have the ending 'dam', and HAL has named ships after some of them. In each case it involved a dam across (or next to) a river. Amsterdam was built around the river Amstel and Rotterdam near the river Rotte. The latter took place during the 1260s and the location was near the Blaak, number 5 on the map. On June 7, 1340, Count Willem IV of Holland granted city rights to Rotterdam. This meant that the city could have its own charter and administrators, raise taxes and enforce the laws. Rotterdam then had approximately 2000 inhabitants.
It was around 1350 that a canal was constructed that connected the city with others further north. It was called the Rotterdamse Schie and it became an important trading route for goods to go to Delft, Den Haag, etc. The city grew and below we see the first known map of Rotterdam. It is dated 1588. (One little curiosity is the red instead of green color in the shield). The proportions are not good, but notice the defensive wall around the city. It was probably mostly made of fired-clay bricks. This must have been a relatively new invention at the time. It started in England and became very popular in the Netherlands because of all the good river clay. The gates to the north and east remained for centuries, but the walls were torn down in the 17th century. The entrance from the river still remains as the Oude Haven (Old Harbor) and the east gate became Oost Plein (East Square).
I show two more maps to give you an idea how the city changed with time. One is dated 1652 and the second 1837. I cropped the latter from the original to show the area we are going to visit. Many of the canals or harbors have been filled to make way for new roads and the railway system. Yet others such as the Wijnhaven remain. Notice the stream going vertically through the center. That was the Rotte and only parts of it remain. Clearly shown is the triangular section bounded by the Scheepmakers, Wijn and Leuve Haven. (Ship-builder's, Wine, and Leuve harbor). The 'Blaak' was filled and is now a major road way through the city. We will see some of this on the walking tour and learn more about the old and current history of the harbors.



Most of the growth took place since 1872 when the 'Nieuwe Waterweg' (New Waterway) was completed. This part river, part canal created a deep water way for ocean liners to reach the city and its harbors. Thousands of farmers flocked to the city where they could make a better living. Many were unskilled and did the manual work of loading and unloading the ships. Some factories were established that required manual labor, in particular to the south of the river, and as a result there were several poor neighborhoods. But the biggest change came in 1940 with the bombardment of the inner city by the German luftwaffe.
 
For the Netherlands World War II started on May 10, 1940 when the German army invaded the country. Adolf Hitler thought he could conquer Holland in just one day, but his troops met fierce resistance. Heavy fighting took place near the Maas Brug, the main artery connecting north and south. Then a treacherous act took place. Without warning the Germans flew hundreds of bombers over the city and destroyed the centrum. The Dutch army was finally forced to capitulate on 14 May 1940, following Hitler's threat to bomb other Dutch cities. The heart of Rotterdam was almost completely destroyed, 800 civilians were killed and 80,000 made homeless.

1. Arriving at the start

Cruise ships coming to Rotterdam first have to travel about twenty miles to reach the city from the North Sea. As the ships enter the Nieuwe Waterweg they pass by the town of Hoek van Holland (Corner of Holland) and make their way past numerous harbors before arriving at the HAL terminal. The aerial view below gives you an idea how extensive the harbor area is. Most of the expansion took place during the last century.
Because of its location at the mouth of the major rivers the Rhine and Maas, Rotterdam serves as a transfer port for commodities going to various parts of the Netherlands as well as western Germany. From here ships go to ports all over the world. For many years it was the largest port in the world until Shanghai, China, took that recognition a few years ago.

If you come to Rotterdam by train you will most likely arrive at the Centraal Station, in the middle of the city center. If your destination is the cruise terminal you can take a cab or the Metro. Rotterdam is a large city and the station has many platforms, but somehow make your way to the Metro station downstairs. You want to transfer to the one that goes towards Slinge. I have include part of the Metro map below. Be sure to get off four stops later at the Wilhelminaplein.
From there it is a short walk to the cruise terminal. I marked it as number 2 on the map. Even with luggage it should be easy to do.

  

 

3. Erasmus Bridge and beyond

The more interesting parts of Rotterdam are along the north side of the river. That means walking across the 'Swan Bridge'. After leaving the cruise terminal walk a couple blocks east and watch the traffic going across and under this modern bridge. It was built in 1996. The main feature is the white towering pylon that supports the steel suspension cables. The top of the 'swan' is more than 450 feet above the water level. The free span is about 0.17 miles long but the overall length is 2600 feet (about 0.5 miles). Notice the draw bridge. It is opened to let large ships through. It in itself is the largest and heaviest in western Europe.

We will cross to the north-east side and walk along the foot path next to the bicycle lane. This way you will have a good look at the river and skyscrapers along the north shore. It is a good, stiff walk, a nice way to work off a few calories and the hearty breakfast a couple hours earlier. Of course, if the weather is bad, you might skip this part and concentrate on visiting museums. You can do that via the Metro again. See Page 2. One more comment about the first walking distance. To walk to number 5 on the map is about 1.25 miles. You could consider skipping this part and take the Metro to go to the Blaak and start the tour there. See map above. Another way to do it is to take the 'Water Taxi', a small boat trip that starts at the Hotel New York and takes you to a variety of places. Notice the small boat with yellow roof in the second picture on top of this page. As the name implies it is a taxi service, but it also serves as a ferry to cross the river. If you have a group of several people, the taxi price is much less per person. For details see Link 1. Also see some pictures below.

 
Looking north along the waterfront you see tall office and apartment buildings; a vast contrast with what was here before WWII. This is called the 'Boompjes', or small trees. For centuries this has been a preferred place to live. There used to be numerous stately homes along here with elm trees lining the road and cay. Later on 'rijn-aken' would dock here and be tied together three or four broadside, waiting to be loaded or unloaded. These vessels were long, narrow boats that plied the river to Germany. You will see some in the Old Harbor. I remember large stacks of goods lining the cay but never paid attention to the buildings behind me.

 
Near the end of the bridge you see this unusual dark building with its cantilevered top. It is the Golden Tulip Hotel, a chain around the Netherlands. You will see more and more unusual architecture in Rotterdam.
From this point you have several options:
* You could decide to do the harbor boat tour on the Spido, with their modern fleet of vessels as shown above. It is just on the west side of the bridge. Link 2.
* If you are mainly interested in seeing some great museums, go to Page 2, see the orange line on map 2. You need to cross the road and go due north along the Leuve Harbor. The Maritime and Harbor Museums should be your first stop. Link 6 and 7.
* If you want to do the western loop and go to the Euromast, the park and some older districts you can do that by following the green line on Page 2, map 2.
* If you are interested in seeing windmills in action, go to Kinderdijk. There is an old boat that takes you there. It docks right along the Boompjes and I have marked the map as number 4. Link 3.
  


But if you want to see the city center and its new attractions such as the cubic houses, continue our walk along the Boompjes. Below is a view looking back at the ever- present Erasmus Bridge late afternoon.

During the first part of the 17th century this area was a swamp with some farming on a narrow stretch of land. To the east was the Old Harbor, the west had the Leuve Harbor and to the north was the old waterway that bordered with the city wall. Then around 1613 several ship building activities were started and the canal to the north was referred to as the Scheepmakers Harbor (Ship builders harbor). In 1614 the first house was built here and the following year a double row of elm trees was planted. Soon the locals referred to this stretch as the 'Boompjes' or little trees. Then in 1619 the row of trees along the north side were removed, but the name remained.

Continue along the waterfront until you come to an odd looking building to your right jutting out into the river. It is built on the foundation of the old Willems Brug, better known as the Maas Brug by the locals. Right next to it was the railroad bridge. This older picture shows the arched railroad bridge and the foundation of the demolished Maas Brug. Both of them have been replaced. The train goes through a long tunnel underneath the river and the suspension bridge with the red towers took the place of the old 'Maas Brug'. The approach to the old bridge is still there. The road is called Verlengde Willemsbrug (Extended Willems Bridge) and obviously was the approach to the old bridge.


 

At this point you need to cross the street and head north. But do it along the west side because you will have a nice view of the 'The Red Apple', this unusual building at the intersection of two canals (or harbors) is another example of the modern architecture that has (and still is) dominated the reconstruction of Rotterdam. Keep in mind that this whole area were ruins in 1940. But wait there are still some old buildings standing. After crossing the little bridge, make a sharp left and follow the path to the road below. This is the Wijnhaven (Wine Harbor). Make a left turn, go under the road above and head north-east again. You are now in a small section of old Rotterdam.
Notice the old ships in the harbor. These are some of the 'rijnaken', the ships that would go up the river to various ports including Germany. Just before you get to the end of the block you will see this narrow house. It is the Mariniers Museum in honor of the Dutch marine corp that fought the Germans in 1940 in this area.

The Germans wanted to have the bridge and made sure that the subsequent bombing did not damage the bridge. Hence this small section of the inter city was spared. Including the Witte Huis (White House) on the corner. This was a special building and a landmark for Rotterdam. It was built in 1897 and was the first and tallest skyscraper in Europe.

  

5. City Center - De Blaak

At the corner of the Witte Huis, go left. This takes you along the Oude Haven (Old Harbor). This used to be the main entrance into the inner harbors of old Rotterdam (see map 1). You may still see several old ships but many have moved to the New Harbor further north-east. The aerial view below shows the way.

Looking across the water you can see a Mexican restaurant. It has a nice setting but from what I understand, if you like Mexican food, don't eat there. Continue on to the cube houses. There you will find a nice terrace where you can have a 'kopje koffie met gebak' (a Dutch morning break).


  

 

 
The complex of cube houses is interesting to explore. If you want to see the inside of one, you can do that for 2.5 euros. I have never done it, but think it would be an interesting experience. See link 4.
There are a few shops sprinkled here and there, but be sure to go the full length and exit to the north-west. The steps take you to the Blaak Station, across the street.
  

This unusual structure is the entrance to the train and Metro underground. The wavy roofs are where buses arrive and depart.
You are in the hub of the city and you cannot miss the construction taking place here. Several new buildings are under construction (or will be shortly). A couple that were built shortly after WWII have already been torn down to make room for a complex of three modern apartment and market places. But before the work could get started, the city decided to do some archeological digging. After all, this was the place where the original dam across the Rotte was located, and we are talking almost a 1000 years ago.

  

 

On Tuesdays and Saturdays you will see numerous covered stalls of the outdoor market. This is the third largest market place in the Netherlands with about 450 stalls. If you are here on one of those days you should go ahead and browse a while. You can find everything from flowers, vegetables to clothing. The new covered market will only add a fraction more. The picture to the right shows part of the long rows of white covered stalls.
Also visible is the public library. It is the building with the orange air ducts along the outside walls. And then there is 'De Potlood' (the pencil), a tall condo unit next to the cube houses.

  

6. Wijn and Leuve Harbors

Lets go back to the Wijnhaven and continue onto the Maritime Museum. The map shows the way but also have another peek at the orange line on the aerial view above. It could be confusing with all the construction going on (2009 to 2011 time frame). You will see a nice walkway with black and white squares along the north side of the Wijnhaven. Notice again the Red Apple across the way. When completed it will have several hundred condominiums and lots of office and shop space. The intriguing thought is: 'How do people get off this part of the island in the morning with all the traffic?

A bit of trivia about the Dutch language. You have noticed the 'ij' combination such as the word 'wijn'. It is actually a 'y' with two dots on top and is pronounced the same as 'I'. So when you see Wijn say Wine, or Rijn, etc. When I was learning English here, our teacher told us that the English were too stingy and tried to save ink by not putting dots on the 'y'. Isn't there an American saying about crossing your 't's and dotting your 'i's?.

As you walk along the waterfront, you cannot miss the long white structure on the opposite side. It is the H2OTEL; cute name for a hotel that floats on water. The view from your room leaves a bit to be desired. Link 5.

When you come to the end of the Wijnhaven, you will notice a lot of old vessels to the left. That is part of the Leuve Harbor and we will see a lot more of that later. To the right is a small square with its statue of “The Destroyed City” by Ossip Zadkine. It depicts the desperation of a city with its heart torn out.
I remember when it was dedicated in 1953 it was very controversial and most of the local people did not understand or appreciate its modern style. Yet, everyone understood its meaning very well.

Perhaps you are hungry for lunch or want to take a rest. Here is a nice restaurant called the Coopveart. The name is an old Dutch form meaning something like 'Trade Travel' or 'Trading by Sea'.
You could do this now or wait until you have been inside the Maritime Museum next door. Of course, there are other restaurants in the area, but this one is convenient.

  

The museum is one of the best when it comes to nautical themes. There are hundreds of items ranging from original paintings and charts, to models and items used by sailing vessels and old steam ships. It is really worth a visit. The entrance fee is 7.5 euros and count on at least one hour to get a feel of its content. If you are into this sort of thing, you could spend several hours. If you have questions, you will always find someone who speaks fluent English. The museum is closed on Mondays. Link 6.
Below is the oldest known ship model in the world. It is the Mataró and dates from the 15th century.

 

When you leave the museum you will find another museum, just next door and along the harbor, but this one is mostly outdoors. It is known as the Haven Museum (Harbor Museum) -- see how easy it is to read Dutch?
Here you will find a large assortment of old vessels and some cranes, trains and a lighthouse; all part of Rotterdam's past. Wander around and feel free to explore some of these old floating boats and barges. On Sundays they even provide a boat trip on one of the old steam driven boats such as the Maashaven, seen below. Most of the vessels around here are privately owned, but there are restrictions as to what boats are allowed to dock here. Some are in the process of being restored.
Perhaps you can find someone who likes to brush up on his/her English and give you a guided tour. Link 7.

 

Now continue along the harbor heading for the Erasmus Bridge. Before you go back, cross the street and make another decision. You could consider taking the harbor tour on the Spido line. The boats are moored to the right of the bridge. You cannot miss them. There is a tour that lasts 75 minutes. Link 2.
If you are really ambitious and want to explore more to the west and go all the way to the Euromast, take the route shown in green on the next map, page 2. It also includes details of the museum tour in orange.

If you are tired and just want to go back, you can walk across the bridge on the right hand side this time. It gives another perspective of the boat traffic and the cruise ship in the distance.
But what I think is a better way to go back to the cruise terminal is to take a water taxi. Actually from this location it is a regular ferry service. There is another location further west near the Veerhaven. They go to Hotel New York.

  

Back to 3

Click here to continue to Page 2, The west side and museums.

The map below is interactive. Click on a number and it will take you to that section of the tour.


Links

1. Water taxi and ferry service -- http://www.watertaxirotterdam.nl/english/index.html

2. Spido harbor tour -- http://www.spido.nl/default-site.aspx?ID=68

3. Boat trip to Kinderdijk -- http://www.rebus-info.nl/main.htm

4. Cube houses -- www.kubuswoning.nl

5. H2OTEL -- http://www.h2otel.nl

6. Maritime museum -- http://www.maritiemmuseum.nl/website/index.cfm?itm_id=96

7. Harbor Museum -- http://www.havenmuseum.nl/engels.start

8. History of Rotterdam, Het Schielandhuis -- http://www.hmr.rotterdam.nl/

9. Modern art museum Boymans van Beuningen -- http://www.boijmans.nl/en/

10. Netherlands Architectural Institute -- http://en.nai.nl/
also check the Sonneveld House -- http://en.nai.nl/exhibitions/sonneveld_house/house/detail/_rp_left1_elementId/1_30666

11. Museum of tax evasion, smuggling and border control -- http://www.belasting-douanemus.nl/

12. The towering Euromast -- http://www.euromast.nl/english/

13. Museum of the world, art, etc, from around the world -- http://www.wereldmuseum.nl/A

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