This atlas presents the spatial development of Amsterdam through a series of historical and newly drawn maps, from the city’s humble beginnings to the present day, and in an international context. Comparisons are made between Amsterdam and cities like Venice, London, Paris, and Vienna.

Amsterdam originated around the year 1200 as a small port town at the mouth of the river Amstel. In the 16th century, the rapidly growing merchant town became the bustling centre of the province of Holland. A...

Water management and cultural heritage in the Netherlands are inextricably linked. This edition of ‘OverHolland’ looks at the area known as the Randstad, where the water system is almost entirely below sea level. It is regarded as the main driver of the Dutch economy, being the most urbanised and most densely populated part of the country. A comprehensive map published by Willem Hendricus Hoekwater in 1901 was an important source of inspiration for the joint study of the genesis of the Ra...