What do the crosses on the coat of arms of Amsterdam mean? Traveling around the Netherlands
The most delicious cheeses and the famous Heineken beer, the most beautiful tulips and diamonds, bicycles, original characters and legalized human vices - all this can be found in the capital of Holland, in the city of contrasts and contradictions - Amsterdam.
Dam Square
Dam Square is the central place in Amsterdam. Hundreds of people of different status, faith and orientation meet here every day. In the center of the square there is a snow-white obelisk, which was erected in memory of the victims of World War II. Previously, the steps of the said obelisk served as a bunkhouse for hippies who traveled around the world.
Churches
In Amsterdam, churches are a common sight. The most famous are the Western (Rembrandt's burial place), Southern (the first Protestant church) and Old (literally the oldest) churches.
Central station
The station is a kind of symbol of the city. It is located in the very center and is a large monumental building. Near the station there is a huge “European” parking lot that can accommodate up to two and a half thousand bicycles. In addition, near the station there is everything necessary for tourists - a transport information point and a tourist office.
The Royal Palace of Amsterdam is a place that to this day performs its functions - the coronation of the country's monarchs. It is located on Dam Square and is prominent representative classicism.
Madame Tussauds museum
The so-called representative office of the English wax museum, the Madame Tussauds wax museum, is located on Rocklin Street near the Royal Palace.
Begeinhof
Begeinhof is one of the most peaceful and beautiful places in Amsterdam. Previously, it was a shelter for women who decided to devote themselves to altruistic goals, but unlike the nuns, they could always return to their family and get married.
Flower market
In Amsterdam, the flower market is a special colorful spectacle, especially in spring. The counters are teeming with the most beautiful flowers, it seems that you are not in a market, but somewhere in a botanical garden.
The Amsterdam Historical Museum tells its visitors about the rich history of the city, starting from the 13th century. Here you can see many ancient and unusual exhibits.
Waterlooplein
This place can simply be called a flea market. Because every day heaps of people gather on Waterlooplein, firstly to chat, and secondly to sell something lying in the attic.
State Museum
The State Museum has not changed its appearance for more than a hundred years and has collected a magnificent collection of paintings and applied arts. Its rich collection of exhibits constantly attracts visitors. In museums you can see the creations of famous artists, such as Rembrandt's Night Watch.
Montelbanstoren Tower
This tower became famous for its ever-lying clock, which to this day cannot show the correct time. The local population calls the tower - stupid Jacob.
Rembrandt Museum
The museum is the house where Rembrandt worked and lived. It was in this place that the artist painted many of his famous paintings.
Anne Frank House
A place with history and sadness. Previously, Jews took refuge in the house from persecution. Anne Frank is a girl who hid here with her family, but died soon after. In memory of her, Anne's father published her diary, which tells about all the hardships of that time and describes the house - the house of Anne Frank.
Van Gogh Museum
The museum presents to its visitors more than 200 paintings by Van Gogh, which uniquely tell us about his development as an artist. In addition, in museums you can find paintings by Van Gogh's like-minded people, such as Monet.
Chinatown
Dancing houses
The construction of houses in the old part of Amsterdam is quite unique, and adding to this the participation of nature, we get houses “at different angles”, and their position gradually changes, which is why the locals call such houses “dancing”.
Marijuana and Hashish Museum
Since Amsterdam is a place where drugs are legal, it is not surprising that there is a museum dedicated to them. In museums you can learn about the history of the emergence and use of marijuana and hashish.
Red light district
Brown and white cafes
In Amsterdam, there is a peculiarity that all cafes are divided into two types: “brown” and “white”. Browns are old coffees, both figuratively and literally, and the spirit of history reigns here. White are new cafes, with a modern and modern style.
Coffee shops
The coffee shop is one of the attractions of Amsterdam, since it is here that anyone over 18 years old can purchase soft drugs.
The symbol of Amsterdam - three crosses (XXX) - does not mean films for adults. The origin of crosses goes back to the Middle Ages. They are believed to symbolize the three dangers that threatened the city - floods, fires and plague. Times have changed, the plague is behind us, and now the locals are worried about problems of a completely different kind. Yes, next year the authorities of the Netherlands, at the instigation of their European neighbors, will indeed intend to cut off tourists' access to coffee shops. The bill is now being actively discussed in the government - in particular, there is an idea to transform all coffee shops in the country into private clubs, membership in which will be available only to adult citizens of the kingdom.
By the way, the Netherlands has enough problems besides the closure of coffee shops and possible losses from tourism. Almost half the country is below sea level and is at risk of sinking to the bottom of the sea. However, first things first. So, Holland of the summer of 2011 is still the same as it will forever remain in our hearts. A little history and a lot of photos from our trip to Amsterdam and the surrounding area.
Tulips, canals, mills, cheese, coffee shops, eccentric graffiti, the red light district and the color orange... Which of these is a symbol of the conservative kingdom of the Netherlands, and which of the liberal country of Holland, in general, is not important. There is a special atmosphere here that reconciles incomparable things.
Eclectic Amsterdam graffiti (Griffin in a hat eating leerdam from the hands of Death with the beak of a plague doctor?)
Installation in the royal flower park Keukenhof, area of Lisse
Psychedelic pedestrian tunnel in Utrecht. It was once used as a tunnel for carts on which goods were loaded from ships arriving at the port.
Early in the morning, the country greets guests with windmills, green grass and fog spreading in a thin layer over the ground.
On passport control sitting next to him is a blond officer (almost an albino) and a blue-black native of Senegal, a former Dutch colony. Both smile widely, but their eyes study you carefully.
When you finally leave Schiphol Airport and enter the square in front of the terminal, crowded with public and private vehicles, it is difficult not to smell... - no, you guessed it right - cabbage. This oddity can be explained quite simply: Holland is the leader in Europe in the use of biofuel, which is produced from rapeseed, a close relative of this agricultural crop. Oh, these Dutch, they even turned the car into a club.
Filmed at the royal flower park Keukenhof
Amsterdam is truly the most cycling city in Europe, and Holland is the most cycling country - 85% of its inhabitants use this means of transport. Most of The territory of the kingdom is located below sea level, the spaces are flat (here a 300-meter hill is considered a “mountain”), and this cannot be ignored geographical advantage it would be unforgivable.
Bicycles are everywhere in Amsterdam and everyone rides them: young people and frail old women, young mothers with children and middle managers. The Dutch use bicycles all year round, regardless of the weather, which naturally imposes some restrictions on their appearance. It’s easier for men, but Dutch women, for example, are not friendly with decorative cosmetics, which can run if it rains. By the way, there is precipitation in Amsterdam 200 days a year.
The main square of the capital is called Dam. In 1270, the first dam on the Amstel River was laid here, which over time became wide enough for a market square to emerge on this site, around which people began to settle. Today Dam is the center of all city public events and the abode of musicians with a wide variety of instruments.
In the hands of the musician on the right is a hurdy-gurdy, an ancient organistrum (something between a barrel organ and a guitar). It was first used to perform church music, then fell into the hands of street musicians, beggars and tramps.
By the way, if you are interested in music, be sure to visit the Van Gogh Museum - here you can catch a performance of a punk folk band playing instruments made from garbage.
You can often hear from people who didn’t like the city for one reason or another that Amsterdam is “the same everywhere.” This is wrong. The whole difference is in the little things - in the design of doors, windows, roofs, the method of bricklaying, the number of floors and the degree of slope of the facades.
By the way, even in the recent past, individually decorated facades replaced the usual numbering of houses. Often such decorations spoke about the professional affiliation of the owner.
You can easily notice that almost all the facades of Amsterdam houses are slightly inclined, and if the house is located on a corner, then it completely takes on a “sprawling” appearance. In a number of cases, this was due to an incorrectly laid foundation (after all, the city was built in a swampy area), but in the overwhelming majority such original architecture was provided for by the project (!).
Since the 17th century, homeowners have paid a tax on the width of the façade, which is why houses standing close to each other are generally so narrow. But in length they can reach 30, 50 and even 100 m. Such elongated buildings, naturally, have some features of the internal layout. Narrow stairs, for example, make it impossible to lift large furniture or household appliances to the upper floors. They are brought in from the street, through windows. For this purpose, a special hook is installed on the roof, and to prevent the furniture from hitting the walls during lifting, the facades are sloped.
All bulky items are transported to the upper floors in a similar way.
A country where a social experiment to destroy the institution of traditional marriage has been taking place for many years - this is how tourists from the American hinterland often call Holland. It is really difficult for them to understand why churches in Amsterdam, like most churches in the country, are open only on Sundays, when the Sunday morning service is held, and the rest of the time, as a rule, the buildings are given over to people of art. Churches host exhibitions, concerts, presentations and other events, sometimes quite eccentric.
Works of art are installed directly on tombstones without unnecessary ceremony.
And it’s absolutely wild, at an outside glance, a memorial to homosexuals who died during the war next to the Western Church, one of the largest churches in the Dutch capital. This iconic place not only for representatives of sexual minorities, but also for all Amsterdam residents, whose free morals surprise not only overseas guests, but also completely liberated Europeans.
By the way, in Utrecht, next to the Dome Cathedral, where 18 adherents of same-sex love were publicly executed in the 18th century, there is a nondescript memorial plaque with the words “Now we are a free country.”
What is usually hidden behind bedroom doors in other countries is put on public display in Amsterdam. By the way, in the capital there are almost no curtains on the windows. The gigantic shop windows selling sex toys are the envy of many boutiques. And you need to have a certain imagination in order to discern “girls’ best friends” from the TV series “Sex and the City” in the chrome-plated products shining in the sun, displayed behind glass.
The purpose of this gadget is not difficult to guess
Another stumbling block that causes a lot of controversy is, of course, the legalization of soft drugs. Liberal laws in the Netherlands allow each citizen to grow up to five bushes of Indian hemp, from which marijuana is made. Of course, not all subjects of the kingdom are engaged in selection, but the aroma of freshly ground coffee with a characteristic smell can be heard already in the morning from numerous coffee shops where drinks and baked goods are prepared “with a surprise.” In every second souvenir shop you can buy marijuana tincture or essence from cannabis essential oils; there are shops that sell only seeds. And absolutely exotic - playful green caramels and chocolate with cheerful filling.
Naturally, the issue of legalization causes serious controversy in Holland, even more acute than the vital problems for a country, half of whose territory is below sea level. It is known that the level of the World Ocean is last years is rising, putting the Netherlands at risk of flooding. The Dutch are debating whether to increase the height of coastal dams or give up North Sea part of the territory, once conquered with great difficulty. And so far the majority is inclined to the second option.
Like most cities in the world, Amsterdam has its own official city flag, and it looks quite simple. The flag is simple, but popular, as you can see elements of it (the "XXX" symbols) all over the city. Excursions in Amsterdam include a story about the symbols of the city, but it is not always possible to get reliable information from the guide about what exactly these three X’s mean.
Amsterdam coat of arms
The flag of Amsterdam is based on the city coat of arms. This, in turn, is represented by a red shield with a black stripe and three silver St. Andrew's crosses with the motto of Amsterdam below (Heldhaftig, Vastberaden, Barmhartig, which means "Valiant, Steadfast, Compassionate"). Two golden lions flank the coat of arms, and an imperial crown adorns the top of the shield.
The origin of the coat of arms of Amsterdam is unknown. But there are some theories.
What "XXX" Doesn't Exactly Mean
There are several popular theories about the origin of the XXX symbol. According to historians (and some common sense), the following theories are incorrect:
XXX: fire, floods and the Black Death.
This theory is that the three crosses on the Amsterdam flag represent the three dangers of Old Amsterdam: fire, floods and the Black Death (plague epidemic) or that they were meant to ward off these dangers. However, this popular legend has no historical basis. Noble families from the suburbs of Amsterdam used St. Andrew's crosses long before the plague struck Europe.
Amsterdam with an X.
Besides the canals and coffee shops, Amsterdam is also known for its adult entertainment, such as the Red Light District (De Wallen). However, it is a complete coincidence that the crosses on the Amsterdam flag are similar to modern shorthand for anything with the definition of XXX.
The most likely theories for the appearance of “XXX” on the coat of arms and flag of Amsterdam
So, now that we know what the three X's don't stand for, let's take a look at the most likely theories from Amsterdam historians about the city's connection to the "XXX" symbol.
Connection with the Apostle Andrew.
The three crosses on the coat of arms of Amsterdam are St. Andrew's crosses. They appear horizontally on the flag, but they are also depicted vertically on seals and walls. Saint Andrew was a fisherman and an apostle who, according to the Holy Scriptures, suffered martyrdom on a cross called the oblique cross. The XXX symbol of Amsterdam can be dated back to 1505. Then it was a city of fishermen, and this flag was flown on all the ships of Amsterdam.
Connection with the Persian dynasty.
Most historians believe that the coat of arms of Amsterdam and its crosses may be associated with the aristocratic Persian family, which once owned a large amount of land in and around Amsterdam. Knight Jan Persijn was Lord of Amsterdam from 1280 to 1282. St. Andrew's crosses were depicted on his family's shield. The Persien family also owned two other villages near Amsterdam: Ouder-Amstel and Nieuwer-Amstel (now known as the suburb of Amstelveen). The flags of these two cities also feature St. Andrew's crosses.
Amsterdam city flag: the coolest flag in the world?
The X's on the flag may not represent adult entertainment, but they have made Amsterdam's flag famous throughout the world. Some flag lovers consider it the coolest city flag in the world. A flag as a background can be great
An amazing frosty morning awaited us in Amsterdam. The city was painted in some unusual shade of blue...
These photos were taken from the windows of the hotel from which we went to a private cheese factory.
Dutch cheese is no less famous than French cheese. It may not boast such variety, but it undoubtedly has its own special taste.
At the cheese factory they told us how cheese is made. Enzymes and bacteria are infused with milk, which ferments at 29°C for 30 minutes. Next, the entire mass in a large vat is whipped (cut) with a special knife and heated from 29°C to 36°C for an hour. As a result of heating, 10% cheese and whey are obtained. The whey is not thrown away, but given to the calves. Next, herbs, garlic or mustard are added to the cheese mass. Everything is mixed, then poured into special containers and placed under a press, where the cheese is kept for 5 hours.
After this, he is lowered for a day in salt water. And then covered with paraffin. Then the cheese is placed on shelves where it matures.
Young cheese matures for 2-3 months. It is used for sandwiches.
6-month-old cheese is served with wine. The head of such cheese becomes almost half thinner than the young one.
Old cheese matures for more than a year, its head is the thinnest. This cheese is grated and served with spaghetti.
It is also worth noting that a wheel of homemade cheese can be stored at room temperature, unlike cheese made in a large production facility, which can only be stored in the refrigerator.
An even more striking and original symbol of Holland are wooden shoes (clogs).
We also got acquainted with the technology of their production. Making a pair of shoes by hand takes more than 4 hours, and making them using special machines takes 5 minutes. From a raw piece of wood, the first machine is used to cut out the outer shape of the shoe.
As you can see in the photo, the shoe is cut according to the wooden template:
Using a second machine, the inner space of the shoe is also cut out according to the template.
The interior space of the wooden shoe is quite ergonomic.
Afterwards the shoes are dried for two weeks.
And then they skin...
Painted and varnished. There is a great variety of designs for wooden shoes.
Traditional farm shoes for the garden have a distinctive color scheme. Such shoes serve their owners during agricultural work for 2 years:
There are shoes with a burnt pattern:
And there are colored ones with images of mills - another symbol of Holland:
Carved shoes self made are considered wedding. They are not worn by the bride and groom, but decorated with small fresh flowers and hung on the door or under the windows.
To wear wooden shoes, you should choose one size larger, and for children - two.
Also at the cheese factory we saw a Christmas tree decorated with ceramic Christmas tree decorations, traditional blue and white colors for Holland.
The famous Dutch white tiles with blue patterns immediately come to mind.
Not far from the cheese factory there is a mill, as I already said, also a symbol of Holland.
It turns out that there used to be a so-called language of mills. By the position of the mill wings, neighbors could always find out what was going on in the miller's family. If nothing special happened, then, having finished the work, the miller stopped the mill wings in the position of a straight cross - one wing parallel to the ground, the other perpendicular. The indirect position of the wings spoke of some event. The tilt of the wings to one side showed that the miller had an addition to his family; tilting in the other direction meant the death of one of the family members.
From this pastoral idyll we headed towards the captivating sparkle of diamonds at the Coster Diamonds diamond factory. Amsterdam is often called the “City of Diamonds”. Where did this name come from? Back in 1586, diamond cutter Willem Vermet arrived in Amsterdam from Antwerp. It is he who is considered the founder of the Amsterdam school of diamond cutting. And since the 17th century, Amsterdam was already widely known as a center for trade and processing of diamonds.
The Coster Diamonds workshop was founded in Amsterdam in 1840 by Moses Elijah Coster. At this time, cutting and grinding machines were powered by horses. Moses Koster was the first to use steam power in a diamond factory.
In the factory building you can see copies of the most famous and largest diamonds in the world.
And also a copy of the crown of the English Queen Victoria with the largest Kohinoor diamond.
The history of this stone goes back several centuries, but when this diamond from Persia fell into the hands of Queen Victoria, the question arose about its recutting. So in 1852, the Coster Diamonds company was entrusted with the responsible task of recutting this amazing stone to highlight its brilliance and beauty. As a result of recutting, the size of the diamond decreased from 186 carats to 108.93 carats. The story of “Coster Diamonds” is shaping up in a surprising way. At this factory, not only the largest diamond was cut, but also the smallest one, measuring 0.0000743 carats. Its cutting took place from 1991 to 1994.
At the factory you can watch the work of cutters and polishers who are able to process a diamond of any size and make it sparkle with brilliant edges.
The factory carries out cutting of various shapes, determined by the original appearance of the diamonds.
In this case, about half of the original mass of the stone is lost. The most economical cut is the Princess cut, however, it is no less beautiful.
And the most difficult cut is in the shape of a heart, since it is necessary to make a notch at the top of the heart, and all the edges are absolutely symmetrical.
Classic brilliant cut round with 57 facets.
However, Coster Diamonds has patented a more advanced cut, the Royal 201, which contains 201 facets and allows the diamond to sparkle even brighter. Compared to the traditional diamond cut, the new one adds 32 facets to the top of the stone (crown), 16 to the bottom (pavilion), and uses micro-cutting techniques to add 96 facets to the belt.
Blinded by the brilliant sparkle, we set off on a journey through the canals of Amsterdam...
My regular readers most likely remember the article “,” where I talked about how this slogan was born and why it quickly turned into a popular symbol. Today the topic is very specific...
If you are visiting for the first time, then, of course, you may be intrigued by the sign that appears here and there, consisting of three “XXX” crosses. After all, for most people, this symbol is strongly associated with entertainment for adults, and given one of the most common stereotypes about the city of sins, the three crosses seen throughout the city can lead to a little confusion. But does Amsterdam's "XXX" really have anything to do with the city's reputation as the capital of the sex industry?
Perhaps I will surprise you by saying no? In fact, three “XXX” crosses are the official symbol of the city, which was chosen back in 1505, and the oblique cross itself is a generally accepted designation throughout the world for the St. Andrew’s Cross (as legend says, this is what St. Andrew the First-Created was crucified on). According to one version, the three St. Andrew's crosses on the coat of arms mean “valor, firmness and mercy”, according to another - they should protect the city from the main misfortunes that it has repeatedly faced throughout the history of its existence - floods, fires and plague .
Of course, the coincidence of the symbolism of the St. Andrew's cross on the coat of arms and the sign, which is a designation of pornography and adult entertainment, is actively used by manufacturers and sellers of all kinds. Along with traditional ones, wooden ones and the city flag, various gizmos with XXX symbols are the most popular gifts from Amsterdam.
"Hot souvenirs" from Amsterdam However, despite the ambiguity, residents
