Cultural sightseeing in Netherlands

The Netherlands is widely known for its school of painting. Rembrandt van Rijn, Vincent van Gogh, Piet Mondrian and many others were making arts in Holland. Today, there is a huge number of museums of fine art. The Netherlands is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for fans of cultural recreation and, especially, painting. In Amsterdam, it is worth to visit the Rembrandt’s house-museum. The building was constructed in the 17th century; later it was restored to its former historical appearance. The museum houses several engravings and paintings by Rembrandt. The venue recreates the atmosphere of his works.

In Amsterdam, you can visit the Museum quarter. Three major museums - van Gogh, Stedelijk and Rijksmuseum - are located there. Stedelijk collects modern art pieces created in the second half of the 20th century; its collection is one of the largest in the world. The Reus Museum is a state facility. That’s one of the oldest venue of this type. It was founded in the early 19th century under King Louis Bonaparte of the Netherlands, the brother of the legendary Napoleon Bonaparte. The Van Gogh museum was opened much later, in the 70s of the 20th century. However, it is one of the most popular and beloved by the Dutch. The relaxed atmosphere reigns inside. The paintings are exposed in open galleries. The museum is admission-free.

In the Netherlands, there is Madame Tussaud's wax museum. It is located in Amsterdam. The exhibition is constantly expanding. Today, it features figures of Hollywood stars, legends of the past, the stars of the world of sports, TV icons, and politics. In a non-trivial setting, you can take pictures with Angelina Jolie, General Charles de Gaulle, the Russian Emperor Peter I, and Rembrandt. In addition to the figures, visitors can also see the process of working with wax from the inside. Tourist can access the workshop where the exhibits are created. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Another attraction of Amsterdam is the Royal Palace on Dam square. Currently, that’s one of four palaces belonging to the royal family; it is run by Queen Beatrix. The place began its story in the 17th century as a town hall, when Louis Bonaparte made it his residence. One of the most beautiful parts of the palace is its main hall, which is huge  - about 36 meters in length, 18 in width and more than 25 in height. The marble floor is decorated with a picture of two maps with the western and eastern hemispheres dating back to the times of the colonial influence of Amsterdam. The palace is decorated with a dome with a weather vane in the form of an old ship. For a long time, the edifice was considered to be the unofficial eighth wonder of the world and the largest administrative building in the whole Europe.

In the Netherlands, there is a huge number of monuments of medieval architecture, including castles, mansions, and fortresses. Most of them are perfectly preserved. Today, hotels and hostels operate here. One of the most striking buildings is the castle of Ammersoyen located near the town of Hertogenbosch. The castle is surrounded by the deep moat; you can get into it only by moving over the bridge. Defensive towers create a very impressive view. Inside, there is an exposition that allows tourists to move to the 16th century and feel themselves knights or court ladies in the Middle Ages.

Another bright cultural attraction of the Netherlands is Fort Bourtange. This large-scale construction, which is shaped like a five-pointed star, looks very impressive, especially on photos taken from above. It is erected on the swampy terrain. The structure is surrounded by several moats dug in the shape of a star. At the time of the construction of the fort, which is supposedly the 16th century, this form was the most popular. Today, there is a museum on the territory of the fort. Reenactments of famous battles are held regularly, as the venue was built during the war of independence from Spain.