Coolsingel, Rotterdam, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Coolsingel is the main boulevard of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, a broad avenue through the city centre lined with civic buildings, shops and postwar architecture. It looks so unlike a classic Dutch canal town because the old centre was destroyed in the German bombing of 14 May 1940, and the street was rebuilt in a modern style.

The story behind it

Germany invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940. Rotterdam, then the country's second-largest city and one of Europe's busiest ports, became a focal point of the fighting. When Dutch defenders did not surrender, the German command issued an ultimatum threatening aerial bombardment. Negotiations were still under way when bombers appeared over the city on 14 May.

The raid and the fires that followed wiped out the medieval centre, killing roughly nine hundred people and leaving tens of thousands homeless. Historians still debate whether it was a deliberate act of terror or a failure of communication between German units. The Netherlands surrendered the next day. Rotterdam then chose to rebuild rather than restore, and the Coolsingel you walk today took shape in the postwar decades, with wide boulevards, concrete and glass in place of narrow streets of brick and timber.

What to look for

• Rotterdam City Hall, completed in the early twentieth century, is one of the few grand buildings here that came through the bombing, so it shows what the old centre looked like.
• The contrast between that older architecture and the modernist blocks around it tells the story of the 1940 destruction without any sign needed.
• The De Bijenkorf department store, designed by Marcel Breuer, is a strong example of the postwar rebuilding, and a sculpture by Naum Gabo stands beside it.
• The sheer width of the street is worth noticing, since it reflects the planners' decision to favour space and traffic over the narrow medieval layout.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 30 to 45 minutes to walk the boulevard and look at the main buildings, longer if you want to go into shops or stop for a coffee.
• Walking along the street costs nothing, but check current opening hours if you want to go inside any building.
• Morning light and quieter weekday hours make it easier to take in the architecture and photograph the facades.
• Many of Rotterdam's other central sights are within walking distance, so it works well as the start of a longer stroll through the centre.

See it on a quest

The Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Centrum, Rotterdam passes the Coolsingel as one stop on a longer walk through the city centre. The app tells you about each place as you reach it and sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you, so you look at the street far more closely than you would on a quick stroll. It suits anyone who likes a mystery theme with their sightseeing. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like with no guide.