The city of Amsterdam is an old city that has embraced the new cosmopolitan flair of Europe. The seat of government is in The Hague, but Amsterdam is also thought of as the capital and it is the home of The Netherlands’ royal family. The Dutch are also a cultured people who enjoy the finer things in life when it comes to the arts.
Amsterdam is a city of less than one million residents but has over 50 theatres and movie houses, two ballet troupes, a symphony orchestra, and numerous museums.
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The tulip flower, the symbol of Holland, has its roots in Asia and the Mediterranean. Holland is the tulip capital of the world, although it is not a native Dutch flower. There is not a single species of tulip indigenous to Holland. Tulips grow so well in Holland due to the pleasant climate. Tulips were introduced in the Netherlands during the 17th century by Carolus Clusius, a famous biologist. He achieved immense recognition for his works with medicinal herbs in Prague and Vienna. In 1593, he accepted a position as the head botanist of the Dutch University in Leiden.