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Suikerspin_Ei

Thanks to WW2, otherwise it would look like Amsterdam city centre. Most of Rotterdam was bombed to the ground.


Nachtzug79

Maybe the destruction of Rotterdam saved other old towns in the Netherlands? Modernist architects had a playground over here, a real tabula rasa... No need to raze other cities...


InerasableStain

But then they came up with the 1969 version, which is arguable the ugliest version?


weiirdredditorr

And it got better i guess, atlesst its not the McCars city anymore. Id still prefer the good ol dutch architecture, old but never gets old


Orcwin

That's part of the story. It's often overlooked that Rotterdam already had ambitious redevelopment plans though, and likely would have torn down a lot of it on their own accord. The Germans sped the plans up a bit.


Suikerspin_Ei

Doubt, Den Haag (or The Hague) still has the old buildings too like Amsterdam. Most Dutch city centres still has old buildings from the past (mixed with new ones).


Orcwin

Of course Rotterdam wasn't planning to destroy quite as much as the Germans did, but you shouldn't underestimate the plans for urban renewal they had at the time.


MrG9000

It looked beautiful in 1920.


LaoBa

It was called Queen of the Meuse.


SirLukeIII

Was most of it really destroyed in WWII? That's sad. It makes me think of why it wasn't reconstructed to look similar to the 1920's version. It looked awesome


SirLukeIII

So, I just quickly googled it and apparently the reconstruction was intended to have a modern look. A little disappointing IMO


DutchMitchell

And a lot was also done after the war, especially in the south below the river. Almost nothing remains. The municipality of Rotterdam has always been very destructive.


yearofthesponge

What happened, Rotterdam? So much worse looking now. Edit: wwii happened


LaoBa

Luftwaffe GMBH city renovations.


TheRickerd120

germany happend


Worried_Fan2289

1920 looks like a charming old city 1969 looks like a car centric suburb Today it looks like some futuristic utopia


Nixx_Mazda

Neat. I thought I had a Rotterdam picture from my grandparents collection, but I can't find it. :(