Rotterdam was founded in the mid 13th century after a dam had been constructed in the River Rotte on the site of the present Hoogstraat. Rotterdam received municipal rights in 1340.
Over the centuries Rotterdam grew from a fishing village into an international centre of trade, transport, industry and distribution. At the beginning of the Second World War, on 14 May 1940, virtually the entire city centre was devastated by a German bombardment. This explains why scarcely any pre-war buildings have remained in this part of Rotterdam. After the war, reconstruction of what had been destroyed was given the highest priority. Now, many years later, a new, modern city centre has risen from the ashes. The avant-garde architecture is famous at home and abroad.

The city that is so unlike Holland's other cities. Located on the mighty Maas River. Rotterdam is the largest port in the world. Being the ''Gateway to Europe'' Rotterdam has a hinterland of 500 million inhabitants. Its international orientation as a port and the regeneration of its city centre have made Rotterdam a business city without parallel.

City with outstanding architecture and delightful culture. City with an abundance of attractions, festivals and museums. A swinging, young city culture and excellent shopping facilities, restaurants and cafes. Whatever your interests are, whatever you want to do, Rotterdam is sure to pleasantly surprise you!

Above tekst from the website: www.rotterdam.nl

Culture, intellect & media

Rotterdam has a lot of problems. So called big city problems. Because of it's harbor, the city houses a huge amount of blue-collar population, and a small intellectual, high educated community. Relatively. There is only one university, the Erasmus University (named after the city's famous former inhabitant), small culture is not seen as something essential by the city council. The culture that gets the money at the moment is opera, big theater and other stuff for large audiences.

The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by world famous conductor Valery Gergiev, is well known in classical music scenes around the globe.

Furthermore Rotterdam has, among others, a beautiful theater at the Kop van Zuid area. The Luxor theater is great and people from all over the Netherlands come look at stuff there. Musicals, cabaret, etc...
There are a lot of other theatre's in the city. Check 'Links' to find them on-line.

The city is developing a media industry, like no other city in Europe. There is a local fund, the Rotterdam Film Fund, that supplies loans to television, film and animation producers. The city development corporation created an entire media area, the Lloydkwartier, with office buildings, studio's etc...
There are several medium-big media businesses in Rotterdam, to be found in the 'Links' section.

The city is well known for it's youth culture. It is the only city in The Netherlands that actually gets younger instead of older (like in the rest of Western Europe, The Netherlands obsolescence).
There are a lot of artistic scenes. Punkrock scenes, painters, photographers, hippediehop scenes, squatter scenes, etc... Just find your way by going to the right café's we advise you to go in the eating & drinking section.

Politics

The elections for city council in 2002 where marked by the upcoming populist politician Pim Fortuyn, a gay right wing sociologist, campaigning on nationalism, anti Muslim feelings and the rehabilitation of public space, services and other governmental responsibilities that where neglected over the years of private wealth (the 80's and 90's).
Pim Fortuyn came out of nowhere and won the elections with 17 seats in the council of 45. In the city that was traditionally ruled by labour and was considered a 'red' powerhouse. The cabinet that rules city hall right now is a combo of VVD (liberals), CDA (Christian democrats) and Fortuyn's Leefbaar Rotterdam. Fortuyn became enormously popular and his party, the Pim Fortuyn List, was about top become the biggest party in The Netherlands. But one week before general elections he was shot to death by an animal rights extremist.
In the aftermath of the murder the Netherlands was mourning in masses. Rows of people in front of his house in Rotterdam, millions of people signed the condolence books that where set up in every city, it was the topic in every conversation on the streets, in cafes, on TV and in the papers.
Rotterdam was the center of The Netherlands for a while.
His party Leefbaar Rotterdam is still the biggest party in Rotterdam (next elections in 2006). Their policies on safety, a clean city, no more mister nice-guy and zero tolerance are still popular with the people. Leefbaar Rotterdam has a good chance of winning the elections again.
The problem is that they also made the city more boring. Bars have to close earlier, some experimental stages and cultural centers had to close due to safety precautions and license reasons...
Rotterdam city is concidered the political experimental city of The Netherlands.