In the seaport city of Rotterdam, in western Netherlands

Innovation is the mantra in the Netherlands' second city, and the locals embrace it with an enthusiasm that makes a visit here an exciting proposition.
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(in Rotterdam, lit. 'The Dam on the River Rotte'), The second-largest city in the Netherlands, after the national capital of Amsterdam.) Rotterdam is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the "New Meuse," an inland shipping channel, dug to connect to the Meuse at first and now to the Rhine river. The city's history dates back to 1270, when a dam was constructed in the Rotte. In 1340, Rotterdam was granted city rights by William IV, Count of Holland. The Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area, with a population of approximately 2.7 million, is the 10th-largest in the European Union and the most populous in the country. A major economic center, Rotterdam is Europe's largest seaport. In 2022, Rotterdam had a population of 655,468 and is home to over 180 different nationalities.

+ Holland's most modern city began as a fishing village in the 13th century. It was developing into an industrial and trading power when German bombers destroyed the city center and harbor in 1940. However, Rotterdam's unique architecture now brings many visitors to bike around this urbane, cosmopolitan city. Old Dutch-style houses can still be found in historic Delfshaven, from where the pilgrims set sail in 1620. (Cultural offerings from summer's carnival to classical music give Amsterdam competition.)

+ The seaport city of Rotterdam, in western Netherlands, is situated on both sides of the Nieuwe Maas River (a distributary of the Rhine), near the North Sea. Founded in the 13th century, it developed into a major port and commercial city. From 1795 to 1813 it was occupied by the French. Heavily damaged by the Germans during World War II, it was extensively rebuilt on a new plan. One of the world’s busiest cargo-handling ports, it is a major transshipment port for inland Europe, with tens of thousands of Rhine River barges using its facilities.

+ Shown here is the Erasmus Bridge Rotterdam; The 802-meter-long (2,631 ft.) bridge across the New Meuse was designed by Ben van Berkel and completed in 1996. The cable-stayed bridge section has a single asymmetrical pale blue pylon with a prominent horizontal base, earning the bridge its nickname "The Swan."The southernmost span of the bridge has an 89-meter-long (292 ft.) bascule bridge for ships that cannot pass under the bridge. (The bascule bridge is the largest and heaviest in Western Europe and has the largest panel of its type in the world.)

+ Rotterdam is also known for its university, riverside setting, lively cultural life, maritime heritage, and modern architecture. The extensive distribution system, including rail, roads, and waterways have earned Rotterdam the nicknames "Gateway to Europe" and "Gateway to the World."