History of urban centers in the Dutch Low Countries
Encyclopedia
The development of urban centers (cities
) in the Dutch
Low Countries
shows the process in which a region, the Dutch Low Countries, evolve from a highly rural outpost of the Roman Empire
transforms into the largest urbanized area, above the Alps
by the 15th century CE. As such; this article will cover the development of Dutch cities beginning at the end of the migration period
till the end of the Dutch Golden Age
.
s and colonies) were extremely sparse, and Roman presence was mainly limited to three Castra
: (Noviomagus
, near modern Nijmegen; Flevum, near Velsen
; and a last one near Oudenburg
, its name is unknown); and a set of Castellum
. These together formed the only population centers which surpassed the native villages of the time in terms of architecture and, in some cases, population. The only possible exception was the city of Atuatuca Tungrorum, which later became one of the earliest centers of Christianity in the Low Countries
.
Unsurprisingly, it was on or around the (ruins) of these Castra and Castellum that the first large settlements arose. Very little is known about these settlements, apart from archeological material, as there was little literacy at the time. Based on archeological evidence, together with sparsely preserved written text it is thought that Dorestad
(build near the former Roman fortifications) was the most populous and important settlement of the region; with an estimated 3,000 inhabitants, it was much larger than the remaining villages, which often had no more than 100–150 inhabitants. Dorestad seems to have been the principal trading center of the Low Countries from around 600 CE until it started to decline around the early 9th century, caused by frequent Viking raids
, wars, silting of its river connection and the emerging of new centers favored by the Franks, such as Liège
, Cambrai
, Soissons
, Herstal
, Tournai
and, most to the north, the neighboring site of Nijmegen.
in the East. The cities located in the center of the Low Countries were able to profit of both of the Flemish and Hollandic cities and no real urban network emerged there. In the North of the Low Countries, however, such as Frisia
and Groningen
; cities remained relatively isolated. Groningen is still nicknamed stad ("city") within its province; signaling its position as the only city in the region as well as its isolation.
was focused on the cities of Bruges
, Ghent
and Ypres
. The textile industry (using wool from England
) in this area flourished which provided the region with enormous wealth, as well as attracting various other trades. The area was notorious for its civil uprisings. When the French King added the county to his crown lands in 1297, this sparked a popular revolt culminating in the defeat of the French knight army by the peasant militia of the cities at the Battle of the Golden Spurs
.
By 1500 these cities had lost their leading position within the Low Countries to Antwerp; though still playing an important role.
, Elburg
, Doesburg
, Zwolle
and their immediate surroundings. The boom was relatively short, as Hollandic, Flemish and English merchants tried (and eventually succeeded in) breaking open the Baltic trade; thereby ending the Hanseatic monopoly which earned its members their wealth. Because of the comparatively short time of economic prosperity, these cities are notably smaller than for example the Flemish cities, and after Hollandic domination and, in the late 16th century, economical supremacy they found themselves in the hinterland
of the Dutch economy.
) would truly expand.
.
and the consequent decline of Bruges
, the city of Antwerp, with its connection to the less silting-prone Scheldt
, becomes of importance. At the end of the 15th century the foreign trading houses were transferred from Bruges
to Antwerp. Fernand Braudel
states that Antwerp became "the center of the entire international economy—something Bruges had never been even at its height." Antwerp's "Golden Age" was tightly linked to the "Age of Exploration
". Over the first half of the 16th century Antwerp grew to become the second largest European city north of the Alps
by 1560. Antwerp experienced three booms during its golden age
, the first based on the pepper market, a second launched by American silver coming from Seville
(ending with the bankruptcy of Spain in 1557), and a third boom, after the stabilising Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis, in 1559, based on the textiles industry.
At the time of the Dutch revolt
, Antwerp was considered to be the capital of the revolt; and the Dutch rebel army furiously tried to break the siege laid upon the city by the Spanish Army; however Antwerp Fell in 1585. Nearly half of its population fled north; to the Hollandic cities and give a huge (monetary as well as in terms of population) impulse to these cities; a major event leading up to the Dutch Golden Age
.
becomes the principal economical center of the Dutch Republic
; Europe's most important point for the shipment of goods, as well as the leading financial center of the world. Amsterdam, positioned along the IJ bay
makes an excellent port for the Dutch merchant fleet; which during the 17th century is the worlds largest, and is the principal seat of the Dutch East India Company
(Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC).
Centralization of France and England, the Dutch Republics main economic competitors; as well as their access to larger amounts of raw materials and far larger manpower reserve marked the slow decline of the Dutch Golden Age
and Amsterdam with it.
and (to a far lesser extent) Antwerp, whose sea ports fueled the industries of the newly formed German Empire
in the Ruhr
. The post war Netherlands saw the formation of the Randstad
; whereas in Flanders the Flemish diamond
emerged. Today both regions; powered by the ports of Rotterdam
and Antwerp
are agglomerating.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
) in the Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
shows the process in which a region, the Dutch Low Countries, evolve from a highly rural outpost of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
transforms into the largest urbanized area, above the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
by the 15th century CE. As such; this article will cover the development of Dutch cities beginning at the end of the migration period
Migration Period
The Migration Period, also called the Barbarian Invasions , was a period of intensified human migration in Europe that occurred from c. 400 to 800 CE. This period marked the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages...
till the end of the Dutch Golden Age
Dutch Golden Age
The Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. The first half is characterised by the Eighty Years' War till 1648...
.
Earliest settlements
During Roman times, the Low Countries belonged to the outer provinces of the empire, situated near the Roman-Germanic border. Probably because of the (founded) fear of Germanic incursions, Roman settlements (such as Roman villaRoman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
s and colonies) were extremely sparse, and Roman presence was mainly limited to three Castra
Castra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
: (Noviomagus
Noviomagus
Noviomagus is a superficially Latinized Celtic placename containing the Celtic words noviios "new" and magos "field", "plain", then "market" '...
, near modern Nijmegen; Flevum, near Velsen
Velsen
Velsen is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is located on both sides of the North Sea Canal.On the north side of the North Sea Canal, in IJmuiden, there is a major steel plant, Corus Strip Products IJmuiden, formerly known as Koninklijke Hoogovens...
; and a last one near Oudenburg
Oudenburg
Oudenburg Latin: Aldenburgensis is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Oudenburg itself and the towns of Ettelgem, Roksem and Westkerke. On January 1, 2006 Oudenburg had a total population of 8,929...
, its name is unknown); and a set of Castellum
Castellum
A castellum is a small Roman detached fort or fortlet used as a watch tower or signal station. The Latin word castellum is a diminutive of castra , which in turn is the plural of castrum ; it is the source of the English word "castle".The term castellum was also used to refer to a settling or...
. These together formed the only population centers which surpassed the native villages of the time in terms of architecture and, in some cases, population. The only possible exception was the city of Atuatuca Tungrorum, which later became one of the earliest centers of Christianity in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
.
Unsurprisingly, it was on or around the (ruins) of these Castra and Castellum that the first large settlements arose. Very little is known about these settlements, apart from archeological material, as there was little literacy at the time. Based on archeological evidence, together with sparsely preserved written text it is thought that Dorestad
Dorestad
In the Early Middle Ages, Dorestad was the largest settlement of northwestern Europe. It was a large, flourishing trading place, three kilometers long, situated where the rivers Rhine and Lek diverge southeast of Utrecht in the Netherlands near the modern town of Wijk bij Duurstede...
(build near the former Roman fortifications) was the most populous and important settlement of the region; with an estimated 3,000 inhabitants, it was much larger than the remaining villages, which often had no more than 100–150 inhabitants. Dorestad seems to have been the principal trading center of the Low Countries from around 600 CE until it started to decline around the early 9th century, caused by frequent Viking raids
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
, wars, silting of its river connection and the emerging of new centers favored by the Franks, such as Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
, Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
, Herstal
Herstal
Herstal, formerly known as Heristal, or Héristal, is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege along the Meuse river. Herstal is included in the "Greater Liège" agglomeration, which counts about 600,000 inhabitants...
, Tournai
Tournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
and, most to the north, the neighboring site of Nijmegen.
Sub-regional centers
From around the 10th century, mainly due to population growth and improved infrastructure, more larger settlements begin to appear. Around the 11th century, some of these cities begin to form networks of urban centers. In the Low Countries these appeared in 3 regions; at first in the County of Flanders in the South, then followed by the County of Holland in the North and Northern Guelders/OverstichtOverijssel
Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...
in the East. The cities located in the center of the Low Countries were able to profit of both of the Flemish and Hollandic cities and no real urban network emerged there. In the North of the Low Countries, however, such as Frisia
Frisia
Frisia is a coastal region along the southeastern corner of the North Sea, i.e. the German Bight. Frisia is the traditional homeland of the Frisians, a Germanic people who speak Frisian, a language group closely related to the English language...
and Groningen
Groningen (province)
Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
; cities remained relatively isolated. Groningen is still nicknamed stad ("city") within its province; signaling its position as the only city in the region as well as its isolation.
Southern development
The principal urban center in the County of FlandersCounty of Flanders
The County of Flanders was one of the territories constituting the Low Countries. The county existed from 862 to 1795. It was one of the original secular fiefs of France and for centuries was one of the most affluent regions in Europe....
was focused on the cities of Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
and Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
. The textile industry (using wool from England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
) in this area flourished which provided the region with enormous wealth, as well as attracting various other trades. The area was notorious for its civil uprisings. When the French King added the county to his crown lands in 1297, this sparked a popular revolt culminating in the defeat of the French knight army by the peasant militia of the cities at the Battle of the Golden Spurs
Battle of the Golden Spurs
The Battle of the Golden Spurs, known also as the Battle of Courtrai was fought on July 11, 1302, near Kortrijk in Flanders...
.
By 1500 these cities had lost their leading position within the Low Countries to Antwerp; though still playing an important role.
Eastern development
In the East of the Low Countries, a number of towns aligned themselves with the Hanseatic cities, who controlled the trade in and around the Baltic Sea. This sparked a sudden economic boom for these cities; principally Zutphen, Kampen, DeventerDeventer
Deventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. Deventer is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, but also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen Deventer is a municipality and city in...
, Elburg
Elburg
Elburg is a municipality and a city in the province of Gelderland, Netherlands.-History:There is evidence of a Neolithic settlement at Elburg consisting of stone tools and pottery shards....
, Doesburg
Doesburg
Doesburg Doesburg Doesburg (Dutch is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Gelderland. Doesburg received city rights in 1237 and currently has 11,602 inhabitants (1 January 2007, source: CBS). The city is situated on the right bank of river IJssel, at the...
, Zwolle
Zwolle
Zwolle is a municipality and the capital city of the province of Overijssel, Netherlands, 120 kilometers northeast of Amsterdam. Zwolle has about 120,000 citizens.-History:...
and their immediate surroundings. The boom was relatively short, as Hollandic, Flemish and English merchants tried (and eventually succeeded in) breaking open the Baltic trade; thereby ending the Hanseatic monopoly which earned its members their wealth. Because of the comparatively short time of economic prosperity, these cities are notably smaller than for example the Flemish cities, and after Hollandic domination and, in the late 16th century, economical supremacy they found themselves in the hinterland
Hinterland
The hinterland is the land or district behind a coast or the shoreline of a river. Specifically, by the doctrine of the hinterland, the word is applied to the inland region lying behind a port, claimed by the state that owns the coast. The area from which products are delivered to a port for...
of the Dutch economy.
Western development
The Hollandic cities in the 13th century were less advanced than either their Eastern or Flemish counterparts; for the most part of the 14th and 15th century the Hollandic cities performed the role of intermediate between the latter and its trade partners oversees. Eventually they formed the bulk of the transport fleet sailing on Bruges and Ghent; which earned them considerable wealth and sparked further expansion. It wasn't till the Fall of Antwerp that the Hollandic cities (led by AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
) would truly expand.
Sup-regional centers
From 1550 CE onwards a two trade hubs start to emerge which for the first time truly dominate the entirety of the Low Countries. The first is Antwerp, the second is AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
Antwerp-region
After the silting of the river ZwinZwin
The Zwin is a nature reserve at the North Sea coast, on the Belgian-Dutch border. It consists of the entrace area of a former tidal inlet which during the Middle Ages connected the North Sea with the ports of Sluis and Bruges inland....
and the consequent decline of Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, the city of Antwerp, with its connection to the less silting-prone Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
, becomes of importance. At the end of the 15th century the foreign trading houses were transferred from Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
to Antwerp. Fernand Braudel
Fernand Braudel
Fernand Braudel was a French historian and a leader of the Annales School. His scholarship focused on three main projects, each representing several decades of intense study: The Mediterranean , Civilization and Capitalism , and the unfinished Identity of France...
states that Antwerp became "the center of the entire international economy—something Bruges had never been even at its height." Antwerp's "Golden Age" was tightly linked to the "Age of Exploration
Age of Discovery
The Age of Discovery, also known as the Age of Exploration and the Great Navigations , was a period in history starting in the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century during which Europeans engaged in intensive exploration of the world, establishing direct contacts with...
". Over the first half of the 16th century Antwerp grew to become the second largest European city north of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
by 1560. Antwerp experienced three booms during its golden age
Golden Age
The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology and legend and refers to the first in a sequence of four or five Ages of Man, in which the Golden Age is first, followed in sequence, by the Silver, Bronze, and Iron Ages, and then the present, a period of decline...
, the first based on the pepper market, a second launched by American silver coming from Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
(ending with the bankruptcy of Spain in 1557), and a third boom, after the stabilising Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis, in 1559, based on the textiles industry.
At the time of the Dutch revolt
Dutch Revolt
The Dutch Revolt or the Revolt of the Netherlands This article adopts 1568 as the starting date of the war, as this was the year of the first battles between armies. However, since there is a long period of Protestant vs...
, Antwerp was considered to be the capital of the revolt; and the Dutch rebel army furiously tried to break the siege laid upon the city by the Spanish Army; however Antwerp Fell in 1585. Nearly half of its population fled north; to the Hollandic cities and give a huge (monetary as well as in terms of population) impulse to these cities; a major event leading up to the Dutch Golden Age
Dutch Golden Age
The Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. The first half is characterised by the Eighty Years' War till 1648...
.
Amsterdam-region
Following the loss of the Southern Netherlands to the Spanish, and the mass influx of Southern Dutch refugees, AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
becomes the principal economical center of the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
; Europe's most important point for the shipment of goods, as well as the leading financial center of the world. Amsterdam, positioned along the IJ bay
IJ (bay)
The IJ is a river, formerly a bay, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is known for being Amsterdam's waterfront. The name derives from the generic Germanic term for "water" and is similar to other Aa/Ee names for bodies of water. In Dutch, the name consists of the digraph ij, which is...
makes an excellent port for the Dutch merchant fleet; which during the 17th century is the worlds largest, and is the principal seat of the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
(Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC).
Centralization of France and England, the Dutch Republics main economic competitors; as well as their access to larger amounts of raw materials and far larger manpower reserve marked the slow decline of the Dutch Golden Age
Dutch Golden Age
The Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. The first half is characterised by the Eighty Years' War till 1648...
and Amsterdam with it.
Post Golden Age
The end of the Golden age saw Amsterdam reaching the same level of economic importance as Antwerp; which had barely been able to establish itself as the Southern Netherlands' main center; continually pressured by the much larger cities of Paris and London; Western Europe's new powerhouses. It wasn't until after the Second World War that either city would again experience substantial growth; with the exception of RotterdamRotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
and (to a far lesser extent) Antwerp, whose sea ports fueled the industries of the newly formed German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
in the Ruhr
Ruhr
The Ruhr is a medium-size river in western Germany , a right tributary of the Rhine.-Description:The source of the Ruhr is near the town of Winterberg in the mountainous Sauerland region, at an elevation of approximately 2,200 feet...
. The post war Netherlands saw the formation of the Randstad
Randstad
Image:Randstad_with_scale.png|400px|thumb|right|Clickable schematic map of the Randstadcircle 528 380 26 Schipholrect 426 356 498 436 Haarlemmermeerrect 399 166 479 245 Velsencircle 250 716 32 Delftcircle 220 642 60 The Hague...
; whereas in Flanders the Flemish diamond
Flemish Diamond
The Flemish Diamond is one of the larger European metropolitan regions, situated in the central provinces of Flanders and the capital region of Belgium.Herman Deweerdt : Het is zeker waar dat de Vlaamse ruit een centrum van economische activiteit is en dus een zeer belangrijke basis vormt voor de...
emerged. Today both regions; powered by the ports of Rotterdam
Port of Rotterdam
The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe, located in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. From 1962 until 2004 it was the world's busiest port, now overtaken by first Shanghai and then Singapore...
and Antwerp
Port of Rotterdam
The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe, located in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. From 1962 until 2004 it was the world's busiest port, now overtaken by first Shanghai and then Singapore...
are agglomerating.
See also
- History of the NetherlandsHistory of the NetherlandsThe history of the Netherlands is the history of a maritime people thriving on a watery lowland river delta at the edge of northwestern Europe. When the Romans and written history arrived in 57 BC, the country was sparsely populated by various tribal groups at the periphery of the empire...
- History of BelgiumHistory of BelgiumThe history of Belgium, from pre-history to the present day, is intertwined with the histories of its European neighbours, in particular those of the Netherlands and Luxembourg...
- History of BrugesBrugesBruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
- History of GhentGhentGhent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
- History of Antwerp
- History of AmsterdamHistory of AmsterdamAmsterdam has a long and eventful history. The origins of the city lie in the 13th century, when fisherman living along the banks of the River Amstel built a bridge across the waterway near the IJ, then a large saltwater inlet. Wooden doors on the bridge served as a dam; these protected the town...