Rotterdam

Rotterdam is the second biggest city in the Netherlands.  At one time it looked like many of the other cities in the country, but, during World War II Hitler ordered the city to be bombed...and it's center was decimated.  Following the bombing, a fire that lasted for three days consumed what was left.        

After the war, instead of rebuilding the city to look like it did before the bombing...the people of Rotterdam decided to take the city in a new direction, and built a very sleek and modern looking city center.  

I found the three pictures above on the internet.  I like this one above because it gives you a birds eye view of what the city looks like today.  

One of the more interesting sites you will see if you visit Rotterdam are the Cube Houses. They were designed by the architect Piet Blom and were meant to house a single family.  They were built between 1982 and 1984.  Today, the cost of one of these homes goes for about $280,000.   All of the homes are being lived in today, except for one that is used for a museum.       

The inside of the cube house museum has furniture specifically created for the unusual shape of the building.  

In close proximity to the Cube Houses is the Blaak Markt.   It is a beautiful, huge building that houses an assortment of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats, nuts, and pastries, as well as a variety of restaurants.  

This is a picture of the ceiling inside the market.

Below are a few photos that show some of the other modern looking buildings you will find in this interesting city.  

The train and metro station

Rotterdam is a fascinating city and it would be well worth your time to visit it.