Amsterdam Amsterdam is home to some of the most beautiful sights in Europe. The canals that flow through the city give it great character and style and the museums are renowned all over the world. Amsterdam has several excellent museums and two of the best are next to each other. The Van Gogh Museum is a must for anyone interested in the artist’s work. It house’s some of his most famous masterpieces beginning with his time in Holland to the period of his death in France.The museum is open every day between 10:00 and 18:00 hours and on Friday night you can visit the museum until 22:00 hours! On the same square is the 250-room Rijksmuseum, which contains among its treasures a handful of exquisite Vermeers and one of the best Rembrandt collections in the world. At the moment, the main building of the museum is undergoing a major restauration, which is going to be finished in 2008. However, 200 masterpieces, amongst them Rembrandt's "Nightwatch" and Vermeer's "Milkmaid", are on display in the Philips wing of the museum. Open every day between 09:00 and 18:00 hours. The excellent Stedelijk Museum , located on the museum square,displays contemporary art including traveling exhibits from other countries. At the moment the museum is undergoing a renovation/expansion, and the artwork is on display in a temporary museum near the Central Railway Station. Museum Amstelkring also known as "Our Lord in the Attic" is set in a 17th-century merchant house. It contains a secret Catholic church on the top floor. The house has its original furnishings giving a good idea of what life at that time was like. If time permits take a look a Rembrandt’s house near the Waterlooplein (the artist lived there 1639-1657). And the church where he is buried at the Westerkerk, (you’ll walk passed it on the way to The Anne Frank House). Have a look for the crown on top of the church given to Amsterdam by Maximilian I in 1489 and you can also climb the spire for a great view of the city. There are also a number of other Rembrandt-related sites: the 13th-century Oudekerk (Amsterdam’s oldest church), where Rembrandt’s wife Saskia is buried. The 15th-century Waag (weigh station) where Rembrandt painted "The Anatomy Lesson" (it now houses a cultural center and café) and the Zuiderkerk (South Church) where he painted "The Night Watch". |