Out of Amsterdam, A Brief History of the Metropolitan Area

The city of Amsterdam occupies an important position in the cultural history of the Netherlands. However, Amsterdam has never stood alone: the city has always been part of a large network, which unites the entire region in a variety of ways. This started way back in the Middle Ages with the water management, which was an everyday task for the residents of this part of Holland, between the Vecht and the North Sea and between the Kromme Mijdrecht and the Alkmaardermeer. It involved the transport of people and goods, via tow boat, shuttle boat, horse or train. It also involved drinking water recuperation from the dunes, the tulips that fascinated the people in the seventeenth century, the drying of the Beemster and the Haarlem Lake, as well as the recreational excursions on the Zuiderzee and the modern architecture in Het Gooi.The rich history of the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area - with all those historical, cultural and economic networks - is described here in fifteen captivating chapters. Out of Amsterdam therefore offers the ideal starting point from which to go out and discover the region's cultural and natural riches.In cooperation with Stadsregio Amsterdam.