The Netherlands is one of the most commonly chosen topics on which students write their essays for tourism and geography classes. It’s not a coincidence, since the country is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries in Europe. It’s famous for beautiful tulip fields and traditional clogs of all kinds of designs and colours. Fantastic windmills which are one of the favourite tourist spots. This country is also popular because of many interesting facts which are tightly tied to its culture and history. For example, Dutch people are the highest people in the world and the Dutch are world champions in baseball!
History of Holland & Paintings
Rembrandt, Johannes Vermeer and Vincent Van Gogh are just a few of the many known painters who were born in Holland. Amsterdam (the capital city) is home to an astonishing collection of over 200 paintings. Drawings and notes of the famous Van Gogh can be found in the museum which carries his name. One of the most famous writers of the last century, Anne Frank, very concisely presents in her personal diary what ordinary Jewish people had to go through in the Holocaust. Paying a visit to her house in Amsterdam is a special experience.
This small Northern European country offers a perfect mix of rural, traditional and modern cultures. The land occupies the river delta of three large rivers which flow into the Northern Sea. The name of this astonishing country (Nederland is roughly translated to “land beneath the sea”. If there were no canals which flow through Holland, it would’ve probably turned into the sea bottom. Each of these canals is decorated with bridges that give a special vibe to them. Amsterdam itself has 1281 bridges!
World War II & Military Rings
The Netherlands, despite being neutral was invaded by Germany in World War II. This invasion took place in May 1940 but by the 15th of May the same year the armed forces of the Netherlands surrendered. The Royal family went to London and others moved to Canada. The country was occupied by the Germans and most of the Jewish people were sent to concentration camps. Because of corruption within the Dutch police, and payments from the Germans to them to identify Jews, about 70% of the Jewish people were killed. No country in Europe escaped the horrors of the Nazis in some form or other. Military Rings can be designed to commemorate World War II.
The Garden of Europe
Holland is also the biggest flower exporter in the world. Holland’s stock market consists of a few auction houses where the flowers are collected and sold from all parts of Holland. The biggest of the mentioned auction houses is located in the small town Aalsmeer, which is located near Amsterdam. All the flower-lovers have probably heard about Keukenhof – the largest floral garden in the world. This garden is frequently called “the garden of Europe”.
Holland is still, besides its traditional heritage, a modern European country. Residents are famous for their free, liberal spirit. The flat land is most dominant in the country and it makes it very convenient for building bike roads. Bikes are the most used mean of transportation in Holland and that’s why so many tourists ride a bike throughout the whole of Holland.
The Language
The official language is Dutch, while the second official language is Frisian, which is spoken in the northern province of Friesland. As far as religion is concerned, Catholicism is the most famous one in Holland, while the second one is Islam. You probably didn’t know, but the Dutch national anthem is the oldest one in the world it was written in 1598 and was declared in 1932. The head office of the Dutch parliament and government, as well as the international law court, is located in The Hague and they are certainly a very important attraction for all admirers of architecture.
