Rotterdam › Places and landmarks
Places and landmarks in Rotterdam
13 landmarks of Rotterdam, and the streets, squares and waterways around them, each with its story and where to find it.
Photo: Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Landmarks
City HallRotterdam’s town hall of 1920 on the Coolsingel, one of the few buildings in the centre that came through the bombing of 1940.
Erasmus BridgeThe white cable-stayed bridge over the Maas, nicknamed the Swan, which became the sign of the new Rotterdam.
Witte HuisThe white office building of 1898 by the Oude Haven, one of the first high-rise buildings in Europe.
Oude HavenRotterdam’s oldest harbour, full of old sailing barges, with terraces along its quays.
Cube housesPiet Blom’s yellow houses tilted on their corners, a forest of cubes on top of a footbridge over the Blaak.
MarkthalA horseshoe arch of flats over a covered market, with the biggest artwork in the Netherlands on its ceiling.
LaurenskerkThe great late-Gothic church of the city, burnt out in 1940 and rebuilt, the last medieval building of the centre.
SchielandshuisA 17th-century classical palace among the towers, which came through the bombing of 1940.
Maritiem MuseumThe maritime museum on the Leuvehaven, with old cranes, a lightship and working boats moored outside.
De Verwoeste StadOssip Zadkine’s bronze figure with a hole torn through its body, the memorial to the bombing of 1940.
LijnbaanEurope’s first shopping street built for people on foot, opened in 1953 in the rebuilt centre.
EuromastThe tower in Het Park by the Maas, built for the Floriade of 1960 and raised to 185 metres in 1970.
Also part of Rotterdam
Streets, squares and waterways
The places that hold the centre of Rotterdam together. Point at one to find it on the map.
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1
Coolsingel street
The broad avenue through the centre, once a canal, with the town hall on it.
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2
City Hall Stadhuis building
The town hall of 1920, which came through the bombing.
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3
Lijnbaan street
Europe’s first shopping street built for people on foot.
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4
Beursplein square
The square by the stock exchange, at the head of the Hoogstraat.
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5
Laurenskerk Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk building
The last medieval building of the centre, with Erasmus’s statue in front.
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6
Binnenrotte square
The long square over the old Rotte, where the open-air market is held.
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7
Markthal building
The market hall under its arch of flats.
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8
Cube houses Kubuswoningen building
Piet Blom’s tilted yellow houses over the Blaak.
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9
Blaak street
The broad street along the old harbours, with the station under it.
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10
Oude Haven waterway
The oldest harbour, full of old barges.
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11
Witte Huis building
The white office building of 1898.
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12
Schielandshuis building
The 17th-century water board’s palace among the towers.
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13
Leuvehaven waterway
The harbour of the Maritiem Museum, with its old ships.
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14
Plein 1940 square
The square of Zadkine’s De Verwoeste Stad.
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15
Erasmus Bridge Erasmusbrug bridge
The white Swan over the Maas, to the Kop van Zuid.