Rotterdam is more than just the city in the Netherlands where the 2014 edition of the IWSM Mensura conference is organized. It is a very dynamic city with many different aspects that are attractive to a wide and diverse audience.

Rotterdam has been placed at #10 on the 52 places to go in 2014 list of the New York Times. It is the first city in Europe on the list, and for a reason. Post World War II reconstruction has changed the face of the city, where striking, cubed architecture gives shape to the most modern skyline in the country, with the vertical city of De Rotterdam, opened in 2013, as the most striking example. 2014 is a banner year for ribbon cuttings to celebrate both new and reconfigured space: An overhaul of Rotterdam Centraal train station has already unveiled a new shop-lined pedestrian passageway and the city’s first Starbucks. The renovated Kunsthal museum has reopened. François Geurds, chef of the two-Michelin-starred restaurant FG, opened a second restaurant this year, FG Food Labs where the coffee is not for drinkin only. Come October, the massive arch of the Markthal, whose interior displays 3-D food photographs, becomes the country’s first indoor food hall. If you want to extend your visit to get to know Rotterdam, you can start here. We have selected some sources of information that describe a number of aspects of Rotterdam. Enjoy the city!

Architecture

Rotterdam is the architectural capital of the Netherlands. From a distance you see the impressive skyline, with the Euromast and the Erasmus Bridge and typical landmarks. Do you want to know more about the architecture in Rotterdam? On the website of Architecture in Rotterdam you will find information all landmark architecture in Rotterdam with photographs and descriptions and information on architects and Rotterdam themes. All buildings are on a map and you can make selections for a vibrant city walk.

Visit Architecture in Rotterdam.

Museums

Rotterdam’s museums offer a highly diverse range of collections and expositions: from modern art to historical artefacts, from architecture to photography and from historical ships to exotic animals. There are also many interesting galleries at various locations throughout the city. The area around the Museumpark, in the heart of the city, is particularly well blessed with museums. A nice route runs from Museumpark to the Leuvehaven, via the Witte de Withstraat with its wonderful atmosphere, where the Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art and many galleries are situated.

See an overview of museums in Rotterdam.

Rotterdam World Port

Rotterdam is one of the main ports and the largest logistic and industrial hubs of Europe. With an annual throughput of 450 million tons of cargo in 2012, Rotterdam is by far the largest seaport of Europe. The port is the gateway to an European market of more than 350 million consumers.
Rotterdam thanks its position to the excellent accessibility via the sea, the hinterland connections and the many companies and organisations, active in the port and industrial complex. The port stretches out over 40 kilometres and is about 12.500 hectares (including the newly claimed land of Maasvlakte 2).

Learn the facts about Rotterdam World Port.

Delta Works

The Delta Works is a series of construction projects in the southwest of the Netherlands to protect a large area of land around the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta from the sea. The works consist of dams, sluices, locks, dykes, levees, and storm surge barriers. The aim of the dams, sluices, and storm surge barriers was to shorten the Dutch coastline, thus reducing the number of dikes that had to be raised.
The first and last projects were in the close vicinity of Rotterdam. In 1958 a flood barrier was built in the Hollandse IJssel, just east of Rotterdam. The final project was the Europoortkering, ready in 1997, which consists of the Maeslantkering and the Hartelkering. Together they protect the Port of Rotterdam against flooding. The Maeslantkering protects the main shipping lane to the Port of Rotterddam and consists of two large floating gates on both levees of the waterway to leave the shipping lanes free. The Hartelkering is a storm surge barrier in the Hartelkanaal to block the smaller sea exit of the Rotterdam port area.

Learn the facts about Delta Works.

World heritage

In the close vicinity of Rotterdam a number of World heritage sites are located. The most well-known Dutch landmark that demonstrates the outstanding contribution made by the people of the Netherlands to the technology of handling water is admirably demonstrated by the mill network in Kinderdijk.
In the city of Rotterdam you can find the Van Nelle factory. The factory was built between 1925 and 1931. Its most striking feature is its huge glass façades. The factory was designed on the premise that a modern, transparent and healthy working environment in green surroundings would be good both for production and for workers’ welfare. The complex is the result of the radical application of a number of cultural and technical concepts dating from the early twentieth century. This led to a new, functional approach to architecture that enjoyed mass appeal right from the start.

See all Dutch heritage sites on the UNESCO list.

Festivals

Rotterdam has a number of famous festivals. Near the conference date there is only one festival, the international comedy festival will be on the Katendrecht peninsula (where the ss Rotterdam is moored) and the adjoining Wilhelminapier. read more

Tourist info

If you need any tourist info while on the conference, you can contact the hotel reception on the ss Rotterdam or visit the website of the Rotterdam Tourist Board. rotterdam.info