Full article: Was Amsterdam named after a dam in the river Amstel?

Most tourist guides say that Amsterdam developed around a dam built in the river Amstel around 1270 AD, and that this dam which was located at present-day Dam Square -- gave the city its name.

But historians say that decades earlier the small settlement in the Amstel delta was already known as ‘Aemsterdam’ or, alternatively, ‘Amstelredam.’

Amsterdam Tourist Information

Full article: Amsterdam’s Royal Palace — Why it was called the World’s Eighth Wonder

Built on 13,659 wooden piles, Amsterdam's Royal Palace on Dam Square -- which started life as the city's Town Hall -- was once described as the world's Eight Wonder.

Amsterdam Tourist Information