Rotterdam – Roterodamum

Rotterdam commented by Braun

“Rotterdam is a city in northern Holland that is known far and wide because of the glorious Erasmus of Rotterdam. In the Dutch language it is called Rotterdam, like many other cities in this country with names ending in -dam, such as Amsterdam, Sparendam, Munichendam, Edam, Schedam etc., because they were all built on a dam. Its citizens are wealthy, have a renowned herring fishing industry and conduct trade with foreign countries. For many years they have been inclined towards religious reform and today still adhere to the teaching of Calvin.”

TRANSLATION OF CARTOUCHE TEXT: Rotterdam, at the mouth of the River Roter, home town of the great Desiderius Erasmus.

Taschen on Rotterdam

This is a bird’s-eye view from the west of the city, which is surrounded by a wall erected in 1359. The view is dominated by canals, the mouth of the new Meuse and the tributaries of the Meuse, including the River Rotte, from which the city gets the name. The late Gothic Sint Laurenskerk stands out clearly, and the ocean-going ships are a reference to the city’s role as a trading port. After growing up as a fishing village in the early 13th century, Rotterdam was granted a municipal charter in 1340. Canals to the Schie linked the city with Delft, the most important trade centre at that time, from whose wealth it was able to profit. From 1586 onwards high numbers of refugees from the Spanish Netherlands settled in the city. The most important commercial activities were tapestry and cloth production; at that time the port ranked far behind Amsterdam.