Rotterdam is the center of progressive European architecture, the second largest city in the Netherlands. It is very different from other Dutch settlements. If numerous channels, palaces and castles take all the attention in Amsterdam, Leiden and Hague, then a walk around Rotterdam sends to the future. Symbols of the city-from fantasy cubic houses to the monumental bridge of Erasmus and ironic monuments-as if urged to look at Europe in a new way.
In 1940, the Rotterdam Center was almost completely destroyed by German fighters, and after the Second World War, the Dutch immediately took up restoration. The ability to build a city again gave rise to architectural experiments – houses and streets became the embodiment of functionalism, so popular in the middle of the 20th century.
This guide will help you get acquainted with Rotterdam in just one day, without missing the most important attractions, cozy corners and places popular among local residents.
How to get
Rotterdam can be reached by train, car or bus from European cities. The train is perfect: it will be difficult and expensive to park the car, and the bus on the bus is quite long, and it does not come to the city center.
All railways in the Netherlands are centralized, you can find out the schedule of trains from any city and you can purchase tickets on the NS.NL website. From Amsterdam, the path will take 40 minutes, trains go every 20-30 minutes during the day, once per hour-at night. From the Hague to Rotterdam, you can get both by train and the metro along the dedicated line, the cost of the trip will not differ. You will arrive at the Rotterdam Central Station.
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09:00 – Arrival, Weina and Stadhuis
The train arrives at the Central Station in Rotterdam. Go on foot along Weina Street to Hofplein-you will pass between slender rows of business centers. The largest port of Europe is located here, so many companies choose this city to accommodate their offices. When Rotterdam’s restoration, architects were inspired by New York, so the entire business quarter is a kind of curtsy to the great city of skyscrapers.
From the square your route will go along the CoolSingel street-on the left you will see Stadhuis, the Town Hall, and on the right-a shopping quarter. Stadhuis is one of the few places preserved in the center of Rotterdam after bombing. It is noteworthy that it was built only at the beginning of the 20th century – before that, the city government had a long time in the mansion on Hoogstraat Street. But the narrow lanes and the size of the building at some point became too inappropriate for the growing control of the city.
10:00 – flea market and Markthall
Bypassing Stadhuis, turn left on the street Meent and reach Binnrotte, which more resembles a huge area. If you arrived on Tuesday or Saturday, you will find the most famous flea market in the city. Vintage dishes, antique furniture and decor items are sold here for a penny.
On the right side of the street is a large horseshoe -form – a complex of apartments and offices with a large city market Markthall, where you can buy delicacies or have a bite to a food court. The inside of the building, the ceiling of the market, decorates the largest printed graphics in the world. The work “Rog abundance” in area corresponds to the size of two football fields. It is interesting that the processing of such an image needed huge servers, which are usually used by the Pixar animation studio.
At the end of the square on the left, you will see an unusual building decorated with multi -colored pipes – this is a city library, on the ground floor of which you can play gigantic chess, and immediately behind it is the famous complex of cubic houses.
Flea market: Binnenrotte, Tuesday, Saturday, 07: 00-14: 00
11:00 – cubic houses
Cubic houses are one of the brightest characters of Rotterdam. Surely, you have already seen these unusual houses on the Internet more than once. Bloma built in 1984, the buildings form the impossible triangle of the routersward. Each house has three floors with the same mowed walls as you see outside the building. You can evaluate the convenience of living in cubic houses in several ways: having visited the museum, going on an excursion organized by residents of the houses, or stopping at an inexpensive hostel working in one of them.
Cubic houses: Overblaak 70, 10: 00-18: 00
12:00 – Oude Haven, coffee and buns
After cubic houses, go to the Oude Haven – a preserved piece of the old port that hid across the road. There are several good cafes and restaurants, in the summer terraces are open, from where you can admire the view of the port and the Willemsbrug bridge. In addition, from here the view of the White House, a 10-story building in the style of art nuvo, is one of the national property of the Netherlands. This building is primarily remarkable due to its height-it was believed that soft soil, blurred by sea water, could not withstand a 10-storey structure, so 1,000 beams were fixed for additional stability in the ground, which support the building to this day.
13:00 – Erasmus bridge
Having reinforced, go along the restaurant string on the Oude Haven – you will go to the Maas River embankment. From here is a view of the south of the city and the famous bridge of Erasmus, named after Erasmus of Rotterdam – one of the main thinkers of the Renaissance era. Thanks to an unusual asymmetric form, he was nicknamed the “Labed Bridge”, and the architectural object itself has become a modern symbol of Rotterdam.
Go along the embankment towards the bridge, and reaching it, turn right – you will go to the Kunsthall Museum of Arts, which is located in the Museum Park.
13:40 – Museum Park
Museumpark is a museum cluster and a park, where several main exhibition sites of the city are concentrated at once. The Kunsthall (Museum of Fine Arts), the Museum of Architecture, Design and Digital Culture, the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum and the House of Sonneveld are located here.
Exhibitions of advanced artists are held in Kunsthall, here you can also get to a free workshop or an open lecture. If you are one day in Rotterdam, there is not enough time for all the attractions, so we advise you to find out the museum program in advance. Not interested in the exhibition? Just admire Kunsthall outside: his building is one of the icons of modernism.
Boijmans Van Beuningen contains a rich collection of paintings by European artists. Although the museum is now closed for renovation, its exhibits are exhibited in various iconic Rotterdam buildings, where they can be seen for free.
The Museum of Architecture, Design and Digital cultures will appeal to those who are worried, as a modern world and new technologies affect other areas of our lives.
The most remarkable museum of the park is the house of Sonnveld, the famous functional architect. This four-story building was designed in the 30s of the last century, but thanks to the stunning stylization, its situation is relevant in our time. All furniture was specially coordinated by colors and designed to emphasize other interior items in the rooms, and the very space of the house is separated as functionally as possible.
Park designers thought about different visitors and types of leisure – in the summer in Museumpark you can relax on the grass in the shade, admiring water and unusual sculptures. A romantic “forest” zone with a charming pedestrian bridge is intended for lovers, and events are often held on the paved part of the park.
Kunsthall: Museumpark, Westzeedijk 341, WT-SB: 10: 00-17: 00, Sun: 11: 00-17: 00, Monday-Day
Sonnveld’s House: Jongkindstraat 12, 11: 00-17: 00, VT-SS
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Museumpark 18: on renovation
Museum of Architecture, Design and Digital Culture, Museumpark 25: VT-SR, PT-SS: 11: 00-17: 00, Thu: 11: 00-21: 00
17:30 Creative cluster Witte de with
From Museumpark, go to Eendrachtsweg Street with a picturesque channel. Here at the turn on Witte de Withstraat you will see the popular The 4 Floors coffee shop, and if you turn right, do not miss the Dearhunter store with rare vintage things – they are owned by a charming red -haired mistress, who herself finds unique products around the world.
All creative youth flows out on Witte de with in the evenings. The center of contemporary art is located here, in which thematic exhibitions and events regularly host. Thanks to this center, Witte de with has become a place for the concentration of the creative class of the city: there are many galleries, fashion cafes and interesting stores.
Do not miss the opportunity to see the work of modern photographers, artists and sculptors – in Witte de with it is easy to discover a new artist and turn your worldview upside down. On Fridays in the center, the “Arts of the Arts” are held, and the entrance to the exhibition becomes free. They are open until 9 pm.
You can eat in this area, for example, in the conceptual vegan restaurant Vegan Junk Food Bar. Drink a couple of cocktails in Spikizi Bar, and have dinner in Warung Mini with a traditional Surinam dish – mouth with meat and vegetables.
Center Witte de with, Witte de Withstraat 50, 11: 00-18: 00 VS, until 21:00 on Fridays
22:00 Path back
Go back to the Central Station along Eendrachtsweg Street. In the light of evening lights, reflected in the calm surface of the canal, your road will be especially pleasant, and it will take no more than 10 minutes.
Note:
You can leave Rotterdam to another city at any time, so if you want to stay longer, go to look at the night city landscape from the Euromast viewing platform. If not, immediately on Witte de with to have time to have a good job.
Euromast, Parkhaven 20, 10: 00-22: 00 Mon-Sun.
The author of the text: Elizabeth Shulyndina
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