Rotterdam
is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in
the world. Starting as a dam constructed in 1270 on the Rotte River, Rotterdam
has grown into a major international commercial centre. Rotterdam is
the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the
world. Starting as a dam constructed in 1270 on the Rotte River, Rotterdam has
grown into a major international commercial centre. Its strategic location at
the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta on
the North Sea and at the heart of a massive rail, road, air and inland waterway
distribution system extending throughout Europe is the reason that Rotterdam is
often called the "Gateway to Europe". In
the province of South Holland, Rotterdam is in the west of Netherlands and the
south of the Randstad. The population of the city was 616,250 on February 1,
2012. The population of the greater Rotterdam area, called
"Rotterdam-Rijnmond" or just "Rijnmond",
is approximately 1.3 million. The combined urban area of Rotterdam and The Hague is
the 206th largest urban area in the world. One of Europe's most vibrant,
multicultural cities, Rotterdam is known for its university (Erasmus),
cutting-edge architecture, lively cultural life, striking riverside setting and
maritime heritage. It is also known for the Rotterdam Blitz. The
largest port in Europe and one of the busiest ports in the world, the port of Rotterdam was the world's busiest
port from 1962 to 2004, when it was surpassed by Shanghai.
Rotterdam's commercial and strategic importance is based on its location near
the mouth of the Niew Meuse (New Meuse), a channel in
the delta formed by the Rhine and Meuse on the North Sea.
These rivers lead directly into the centre of Europe, including the industrial Ruhrregion.
Also seen on the card is the Erasmus Bridge which is a cable-stayed
bridge across the Nieuwe Maas,
linking the northern and southern regions of Rotterdam. The Erasmus
Bridge was designed by Ben van Berkel
and completed in 1996. The 802-metre-long (2,631 ft) bridge has a
139-metre-high (456 ft) asymmetrical pylon, earning the bridge its
nickname of "The Swan". The
southern span of the bridge has an 89-metre-long (292 ft) bascule bridge
for ships that cannot pass under the bridge. The bascule bridge is the largest
and heaviest in West Europe and has the largest panel
of its type in the world. After costing more than 163 million euros to
construct, the bridge was officially opened by Queen Beatrix on September 6, 1996.[1] Shortly
after the bridge opened to traffic in October 1996, it was discovered the
bridge would swing under particularly strong wind conditions. To reduce the
trembling, stronger shock dampers were installed.
The
Bridge has been used during many memorable events. The bridge featured in the
1998Jackie Chan film "Who Am I?" In 2005, several
planes flew underneath the bridge as part of the "Red Bull Air Race". In
2005, the bridge served as the backdrop for a performance by DJ Tiësto titled "Tiësto @
The Bridge, Rotterdam". The performance featured fire-fighting ships
spraying jets of water into the air in front of the bridge, a fireworks barge
launching fireworks beside the bridge, and multi coloured spot/search lights
attached to the bridge itself. The bridge was crossed during the prologue and
the opening stage of the 2010 Tour de France.
Thank you Marco for this nice card.
