A Brief History of Amsterdam's Stopera
Amsterdam’s city hall has moved several times over the past five centuries and relocated to a circular, custom-built complex on Waterlooplein called Stopera in 1988. Although Stopera has since become an important and celebrated part of Amsterdam’s urban centre, its development was fraught with difficulties.
From 1665 to 1808 Amsterdam’s city hall was located on Dam Square, inside the stately Dutch Golden Age building that would eventually become the Royal Palace. After the Netherlands was annexed by the French Empire in 1806, Amsterdam’s council was evicted from the palace to make room for the new King of Holland, Louis Napoleon, and his court. Afterwards, the city hall was moved to Prinsenhof on Oudezijds Voorburgwal and stayed there until 1988.
In the early twentieth century Amsterdam’s government decided to move the city hall once again, but had trouble finding a suitable location. In 1954 they allocated a plot on Waterlooplein and after rejecting several ideas, launched an architectural competition in 1967 to find an appropriate design for the new building. Austrian architect Wilhelm Holzbauer was named the winner of this contest a year later, however construction was delayed because of budgetary difficulties.
At around the same time the Dutch national opera (and ballet) was searching for a new location. Due to financial issues, it was eventually decided that the city hall and national opera would share the same building on Waterlooplein. Wilhelm Holzbauer agreed to modify his designs around this plan and adapted his submission to accommodate both organisations alongside two other architects called Bernard Bijvoet and Cees Dam. This proposal was then given the name Stopera – a portmanteau of stadhuis (city hall) and opera.
Throughout its development period left-wing groups objected to the government’s plans, partly as other residential and historic buildings needed to be brought down to make way for Stopera. When construction finally began in 1982, protesters surrounded the building site, forcing the government to delay work for another month.
Despite these postponements, Stopera was finally completed in 1986 and two years later, Amsterdam’s new city hall opened its doors to the public.
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CentralAmerica
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2. Belize
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3. Mexico
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2. Peru
An alternative itinerary to classic Peru, from Cusco to Arequipa. This itinerary is great combination of highlights Cusco and Machu Picchu with the lesser known Arequipa and Colca Canyon. Europe
1. Italy
The ultimate Italian experience from the vibrant streets of Naples to the breathtaking sceneries of the Amalfi Coast followed by Matera and down to Puglia with its golden beaches, intense flavours and fascinating destinations.Next
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2. Scotland
Embark on this great adventure starting from London all the way to Scotland with a true Scottish experience made of breathtaking sceneries, whisky tasting and ..lots of fun! Ideal for train lovers and explorers. Next
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3. Portugal
A wonderful train journey around Portugal, from the romantic city of Porto to the Douro Valley, to the beautiful Aveiro all the way to Lisbon and Sintra. The perfect trip to train, culinary and culture lovers. Asia
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meet our Local Insider
Hanna
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!
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Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
