History of Rotterdam

Rotterdam started out as a settlement on both sides of the Rotte, a tributary of the river Nieuwe Maas. It gained city rights in 1340. At the outset, Rotterdam was a small merchant town, shadowed by local rivals Dordrecht and Delft. In the following centuries, it would continue to develop within a merchant tradition. From the 17th century on, it would increasingly make use of its position as a port. Thus commerce, fishing and shipping became pivotal economic elements. The town became home to some 30.000 inhabitants. This figure approached local rivals, but was still far less than Amsterdam. Rotterdam’s ever-present ‘second city syndrome’ started to develop. In the second half of the 19th century, port expansion became the city’s top priority. With a major port, Rotterdam developed into the essential link between the German hinterland and the sea, and thus a gateway to Europe. The major transit ports on the south side of the river were established between 1880 and 1914. The still prominent image of the working man’s city stems from this very period. Population mushroomed. The city grew from some 153.000 inhabitants in 1880 to some 425.000 inhabitants around 1910.

Rotterdam’s economic policy backfired during the interwar period: it had become completely dependent on developments in the German Ruhr area. The crisis hit hard. In the near future, the economy would need to diversify in order to function more autonomously. But then, on 14th May 1940, the German Luftwaffe flew over the city and needed but ten minutes to bomb and destroy the entire inner city. Corollary widespread fires during the following days burned down most of what was left. Some 900 people lost their lives. The impressive statue ‘The destroyed city’ by Ossip Zadkine today reminds us of the bombardment. Only weeks after the bombardment, plans for rebuilding were ready. To a very large extent, they already had been designed in the thirties. Modernist thinking would be the wave of the future. Rebuilding would evolve around four separate spatial functions: housing, working, traffic and recreation. Thus, the centre became austere and boring. Its 600.000 inhabitants had to live in neighbourhoods around it. The port of Rotterdam had to be modernised as well: it expanded enormously to the west and shifted to petrochemical industries. In the 60s, the port of Rotterdam became the world’s largest port.

At the beginning of the 70s, though, expansion had to halt; a lack of space and increasing complaints about environmental pollution were major motives. Instead, the city board put its energy to beautifying the city with modern architecture (‘Manhattan on the Maas), new recreational areas (such as the Oude Haven) and more housing in the city centre. Increasingly, Rotterdam is trying to become a ‘culture city’, hosting many major events (such as the Marathon and the Dance Parade). This dynamic city will never sit back and take it easy in tranquillity, for which we are glad!