Are you looking to explore the history of Rotterdam through the ages? There are a number of historical destinations in Rotterdam including the time-honored buildings, monuments, palaces, and parks where you can learn about the glorious past of Rotterdam. The presence of these historical sites and museums will take you on a walk through Rotterdam ‘s rich history.
If you are willing to have an in-depth historical information about Rotterdam, we recommend that you take a wonderful guided tour to cover the major historical attractions. Also, check the opening and closing time for each so that you can organize your time. Make sure that you go through the complete list of historical places in Rotterdam for a great trip!
Top Historical Places in Rotterdam
Let's witness the history of Rotterdam with these top historical places - monuments and landmarks:
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Oudehaven
(580 Votes)
The Old Harbour was built in the 14th century and till today the historic ships of the Harbour Museum of Rotterdam are moored here. The harbour also has a shipyard where ships are renovated and a fleet of ships are always lined here, giving the place a rather historic feel. The old harbor also accommodates modern places like the Cube Houses which creates a beautiful contrast with its old buildi...Read more -
Laurenskerk Rotterdam
(38 Votes)
The Laurenskerk is a church built from mid 15th century to early 16th century and is the only Medieval building in Rotterdam that has survived its war history and urban growth. In the mid 17th century, the church’s spire was damaged severely due to poor quality of wood and soon the addition of stone and stacks were added under the tower to help the structure. Today, the church’s cla...Read more -
Stadhuis
(72 Votes)
The City Hall Rotterdam was built in the early 20th century and is one of the few buildings in Rotterdam city which escaped the World War II bombings. The building was built to accommodate the spaces which the previous council hall could not. Henri Evers designed the building keeping Romanesque, Byzantine and Art-deco as the influences while Beaux-Arts style was the main design. Today a walk ar...Read more -
The Destroyed City
(60 Votes)
The ‘Destroyed city’ is a monument in Rotterdam made by sculpture Zadkine to signify the loss of the city during the Second World War when the Germans damaged the city severely. Ossip Zadkine is a celebrated Russian/French sculptor and artist of the 20th century known for expressing the world around through his sculptures and even paintings. See the masterpiece while in Rotterdam an...Read more -
Originally made to depict Santa Claus with a Christmas Tree in his hand, the statue got way to may sexual references and soon the ‘Leprechaun Butt-plug’ got more popular than any other name. Take a picture of the iconic yet funny statue and you have something unique to remember Rotterdam by for sure. The statue is located at Eendrachtsplein and is celebrated as yet another of the ci...Read more -
Mariniers Museum
(30 Votes)
Know all about the history and journey of the Dutch Marines by visiting the Mariniers Museum. The museum showcases and depicts the story of the country’s turbulent past- including the World War II and the recent Afghanistan mission. If you like war history and would like to see the weapons, official Marine uniform used across ages and other historic articles, a visit here will be interest...Read more -
Museum Rotterdam
(24 Votes)
Museum Rotterdam depicts the story of Rotterdam’s past including its role and suffering during the World War II. The exhibits are self-explanatory and include a range of videos which describe just what it was to live in Rotterdam during the 1940’s. Highlights include: Before and After photos of the 1940’s Bombings. Copies of bomber aircrafts which were used during the second ...Read more -
Chabot Museum
(22 Votes)
The Chabot Museum is dedicated to Hendrik Chabot- a famous Dutch sculptor and painter. The museum is accommodated in a white Villa built in 1930’s and is a National Monument itself. The museum showcases art works from the 1920s from the Schortemeijer collection, works from the time period of the Second World War and exclusive art pieces from the private collection of Mrs. Toll-Breugem. If...Read more -
The Van Nelle Factory is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most beautiful modern building not just in Rotterdam but in the world! The factory topped in the list of the ‘25 Most Beautiful Factories in the World’ and was designed by architect Leendert van der Vlugt. The factory was one of the major factories in Rotterdam to processing coffee, tea and tobacco and soon a proce...Read more -
Groothandelsgebouw
(17 Votes)
The Groot Handelsgebouw is one of the major buildings built after the Second World War and marked a fresh beginning for businesses in Rotterdam since most of them where lost during the war. Today the massive building and its larger-than-life architecture is home to some of the biggest offices. The building was a result of a sketch made by Frits Po in 1944 and was completely constructed by 1953....Read more -
The Leuvehoofd Park is located on the river side and overlooks the Earsmus bridge. The park is loved for its green grass, sufficient benches to sit on and simply take the spectacular waterside view. Highlights Include: ‘The Bow’ monument which is built in memory of the 3500 sailors who lost their lives during the World War II. Take a walk through the park during sunny afternoons o...Read more -
De Hef
(16 Votes)
The De Hef is a railway lift-bridge which runs over the Royal Harbour and was built in the late 19th century. The bridge was designed in 1927 (first of its kind in Europe) and was a main location for a movie made in 1928. Today, the bridge is no longer funtional but is a monument which keeps the history alive in Rotterdam’s fast-paced urban sphere. Take a walk around the harbor to see the...Read more -
Schoonhaven is located around 30 kilometers to the east of Rotterdam and is home to perfectly maintained medieval buildings which take you to another time altogether. Take a few hours to see popular attractions like the St. Bartholomeuskerk, Schoonhoven Town Hall, Weigh House which is located on top of a dam and the famous Clock Museum which showcases fine craftsmanship in gold and silver among...Read more