The city of Amsterdam started out as a small fishing village at the mouth of the Amstel River around 1200, and before long, the natural harbour made it an important trading centre. With the Dutch Golden age of exploration and conquest in the 16th century, vast amounts of money flowed into the city and this was invested in the stunning architecture, and many works of art that decorate the many museums and galleries.
Protestantism came to the city in the 17th century, and the age of tolerance and progressiveness that this brought in remains to this day, and makes Amsterdam one of the most liberal places in the world.
