Amsterdam, Netherlands

This panoramic photograph of Amsterdam was taken by James Blakeway. A city marked by many boats, bridges, and canals, Amsterdam is the constitutional capital and largest city of the Netherlands. This culturally rich city is a major port joined with the North Sea and the Rhine by canals. The city is built on piles and is cut by some 40 canals crossed by about 400 bridges. This photograph features “Magere Brug” or “Skinny Bridge,” a hand-cranked drawbridge popular with tourists. A popular tourist destination, Amsterdam also has an important stock exchange and is a major center of the diamond-cutting industry.