There are many facts about Amsterdam that many of us don’t know about. Here are some fun facts about Amsterdam that are exciting and unique!
Basic Facts About Amsterdam
Amsterdam Is Sinking
The whole of Amsterdam is entirely built on water! Facts about Amsterdam, you might notice how some buildings are a bit lop-sided, it’s because the soil underneath is swampy. Buildings in Amsterdam actually have to be built on long poles that get dug deep into the ground to prevent them from sinking right down underwater. They used to use wooden poles but now they use concrete. It’s a long and loud process.
Amsterdam Is Multicultural
Here’s one of the fun facts about Amsterdam! It is home to the highest number of nationalities out of any city in the world. In Amsterdam you can ride a minute down the road on your Dutch bicycle, grab an Indonesian curry, eat it while you’re waiting for a haircut in the Turkish barber and then head into town for a beer served to you by an Aussie. It’s great.
People From Amsterdam Speak Many Languages
Because it is such a multicultural city, over 85% of Amsterdam residents can speak more than two languages, usually Dutch, English and sometimes even a third language which is quite often German. Thinking about going on holiday to Amsterdam? If you can speak basic English you’ll have no problem communicating.
Amsterdam Is LGBT Friendly
Amsterdam was the first capital city in the world to allow gay marriages which includes all rights and obligations for gay and lesbian couples. The Netherlands actually opened the doors to same sex marriage in 2001 and within 10 years it saw 15,000 same-sex couples marry legally.
Amsterdam Is Full Of Spirit
Again, a little more broad but did you know that gin was invented in the Netherlands? They call it “jenever” which is pronounced yeh-NAY-ver and it came about in the 16th century when it was used for medicinal purposes.
Amsterdam Is A ‘Safety First’ City
One of the most famous facts about Amsterdam is that it is one of the top 25 safest cities in the world. In fact, Amsterdam has a far lower crime rate than most other popular European study-abroad cities!
Now’s the right time to secure a safe education loan! Fill the form in this blog TODAY!
Fun Facts Amsterdam
Amsterdam Has Poles, Lots Of Them!
Here’s one of the top fun facts you didn’t know about Amsterdam! The average house in Amsterdam sits on between 5 and 10 support poles. Now think about the Royal Palace in Dam Square. In fact, the city of Amsterdam lay’s upon around 11 million support poles all up!
Anne Frank’s diary is available in 70 different languages
No visit to Amsterdam would be complete without learning about its darkest period. On the Anne Frank Tour, you’ll hear the full story of the Nazi-occupied city. Frank hid with her family in a secret annex for 2 years between 1942 to 1944 before they were captured. Her story is now told around the world and her diary has been translated into 70 different languages.
Amsterdam Has Big, Big People
This one’s a little more broad but Dutch people in general are ginormous. It is one of the facts about Amsterdam that they are the tallest people in the world. Most men average at a height of 184cm while the average Dutch woman towers at 170cm. Take a look around when you get there and you’ll probably know straight away whether someone is Dutch or not by their incredible height.
Coffee, Coffee, Everywhere!
Coffee lovers! Amsterdam residents are the second largest consumers of coffee in the world, consuming around 3.2 cups of coffee per person, per day. At home it was generally the crappy watery filtered coffee but if you head to a local café you’ll usually find a little slice of coffee heaven.
Also Read: Student Visa For The Netherlands: The Basics
Stunning Facts About Amsterdam
There Are Bikes Everywhere!
Interesting and fun facts about Amsterdam! One of the most bicycle friendly cities in the world. In fact, over 60% of trips are made by bicycle in the inner city. You should see it! It’s chaotic but fun, healthy and environmentally friendly-chaos. Get this, there are over 813,562 people living within the city limits of Amsterdam, however it is estimated that there are well 1,000,000 bicycles. How bizarre!
You Can Travel 100 Kilometers On The Canals
If you’ve ever dreamt of living on a houseboat, Amsterdam is the city for you! With over 165 canals, it’s possible to travel 100 kilometers on the water in the city limits. Of course, the 17th century Singelgracht area might be competitive, after all, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the meantime, you can always take a 1 hour cruise to pick the perfect spot on the canals to drop your anchor and set up your dream life.
Amsterdam Is Bridge Central
While Venice is home to 12 more canals than Amsterdam, Amsterdam is home to 872 more bridges than Venice! It’s often nicknamed “Venice of the North” but I think it could almost go the other way around!
There Are Cat Boats
Poezenboot is a houseboat full of stray cats in Amsterdam. As the only one of its kind in the world, this boat full of stray and abandoned cats is run by volunteers in the canal just west of Central Station. It has even become an Amsterdam tourist attraction!
Amsterdam Has Indie Cinemas
Amsterdam is home to the world’s smallest movie cinema, it seats one person! CINEMA41 is a pop-up movie theatre located in a housing complex in the heart of Amsterdam.
PS: If there’s anything more you’d like us to know about. Add it to the comments section!
Thank you for reading this blog on ‘Fun Facts About Amsterdam You Didn’t Know About’ If you’d like to read more, here are some blogs that might be of interest to you:
Recent Posts