Iris Segers,

Editor (Travel)

 

Rotterdam is the second city in the Netherlands and often stands in the shadow of Amsterdam. Traditionally a workers’ town, it is now a very multicultural city with a booming harbour and a growing student population. As a large part of the city was bombed away in World War II, the city centre is an interesting mix of old and new architecture. Here’s a list of must-sees in this unique town.

The Buttplug Gnome

Originally called ‘Santa Claus’, this piece of art made by Paul McCarty is situated on Het Eendrachtsplein, in the city centre. Even though the artist claims that the gnome is holding a Christmas tree, many people gave the statue a more sexual meaning, which also resulted in its now famous nickname. It was initially intended to stand next to the theatre De Doelen but was soon moved to its current location due to protests against the sexual connotations that many people attributed to it.

The Harbour

The Rotterdam harbour is the largest one in Europe and was the largest in the world from 1962 to 2004, before Shanghai took first place. Guided boat tours are an excellent way to be overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of numerous containers filled with goods.

The Cube Houses

Architect Piet Blom has designed these oddly shaped houses, crossing over one of the main streets in the city centre. One of the houses is furnished and open to the public; so you can see for yourself what it would be like to live in a tilted cube. People and little shops occupy the other houses and one of them is a hostel.

Witte de Withstraat

The Witte de Withstraat is probably the most artistic part of town. After having a bad reputation of crime, drugs and gambling in the 70s, it has transformed itself into one of the most interesting streets in the country. Art galleries, trendy cafés and coffee shops stand side by side and the street is situated next to Het Museumpark: the name already suggests that this is a park with several museums in it. If you feel like having a beer, I suggest you visit De Witte Aap: this cult café is one of the coolest in town and attracts an interesting mix of arty people.