Hotels Amsterdam
Geography of Amsterdam
    
Amsterdam is the constitutional capital and largest city of the Kingdom of
the Netherlands, North Holland province, and is located on the river IJ, an
inlet of the IJsselmeer. The city derives its name from the fact that it is
situated where the small, bifurcated Amstel River (which empties into the IJ)
is joined by a sluice dam originally built in 1240.
The country sinks an average of 1m every 1,000 years. As a result, approximately
50 per cent of Holland - an area that holds about two-thirds of its people -
now lies below sea level, protected from flooding only by sand dunes, dikes,
and Dutch engineering ingenuity. As a consequence, an aircraft descending towards
Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport has to descend a little farther than when entering
most other cities on earth, because the runway is 7m below sea level.
A graphic cross-section of the topography between the North Sea and Amsterdam
shows that if the sinking continues, the Vondelpark will become a lake, the
Metro system will be well and truly drowned and the trams would float away -
but if you were on the Oude Kerk tower, you wouldn't even get your feet wet.
Amsterdam is cut by about 40 concentric and radial canals into approximately
90 islands that are flanked by streets and crossed by 400 bridges. Almost the
entire city rests on a foundation of wooden and concrete piles driven through
peat and sand to a firm substratum of clay. The canals give the city its nickname,
Venice of the North.
The many old and picturesque houses along the canals, once patrician dwellings,
are now mostly offices and warehouses. The main streets of Amsterdam include
the Dam, on which stand the Nieuwe Kerk (15th - 17th centuries) and the 17th
century Dam Palace (formerly the city hall and a royal palace since 1808). Near
Amsterdam is the 'Bos', an enormous park.
Selection of hotels in this region:
The Gresham Memphis | | Le Meridien Apollo | | Delta Hotel Amsterdam City Centre | | The Albus Grand Hotel | | King Hotel | | Aadam Hotel Wilhelmina | | Banks Mansion | | Hotel Falcon Plaza Centre | | Jolly Hotel Carlton Amsterdam | | Nova Hotel | | Slotania Hotel | | NH Doelen | | Hotel Cordial | | Golden Tulip Inntel Amsterdam-Centre | | Die Port Van Cleve Hotel | | NH Schiller | | NH City Centre | | NH Museum Quarter | | HEM Hotel Amsterdam | | Tulip Inn Amsterdam Centre | | Singel Hotel | | Prins Hendrik | | Aalborg Hotel | | NH Caransa | | NH Tropen | | Di Ann Hotel | | NH City North | | PC Hotel | | Artemis Amsterdam Hotel | | Holiday Inn Amsterdam | | Golden Tulip Amsterdam Art | | Museum Hotel | | Seasons Hotel | | Apple Inn Hotel | | Tulip Inn Amsterdam Art | | Hotel Eden | | AMS Toro | | AMS Hotel City Centre | | AMS Atlas Hotel | | AMS Hofpark Hotel | | AMS Concert Inn | | Hotel Ibis Schiphol Airport | | NH Caransa | | AMS Omega Hotel | | AMS Hotel Terdam | |
Click below for a
full list of hotels and online booking
|
