Holland

There is sometimes a slight confusion between the names Holland and the Netherlands. Some refer to the Netherlands as Holland; however, that is to be considered insulting because Holland is actually just a portion of the country The Netherlands. Holland actually only covers two of the twelve provinces. North and South Holland were unified from the tenth to sixteenth century under the Holy Roman Empire. Together the two provinces were home to the two most popular cities, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, one of Europe’s largest ports. Holland also held The Hague which is where the Dutch parliament resides. In the 1840, Holland divided into two provinces called Noord-Holland (North Holland) and Zuid-Holland (South Holland). The cause of the division was a result of the two provinces being too powerful and dominant over the rest of the Netherlands.
 * Holland **

North Holland is located in the western portion of the Netherlands and has its own flag. The flag consists of three horizontal stripes that from top to bottom have the colors yellow, red, and blue. It was adopted in October of 1958 and the colors come from the province’s coat of arms. On one half of the coat of arms is a red lion on a yellow background and on the other half, two yellow lions on a blue background. This province’s population is 2,719,764 which happens to be sixteen percent of the entire country’s population. The area is said to be very popular as a result of little to no change from the Dutch Golden Age, which took place from the 1580’s to the 1700’s. Amsterdam is the largest city in Noord-Holland; although, the city of Haarlem is the province capital.

South Holland is located right under North Holland in the western portion of the Netherlands. It has the highest population out of all twelve provinces at 3.6 million. The capital of South Holland is The Hague which holds the government for the Netherlands. Besides the Dutch parliament, The Hague has beautiful architecture and a variety of international courts. Like North Holland, South Holland has a representative flag that is yellow with a red lion located on the left side. At first the colors of the flag were plain red and yellow stripes that were adopted from the province’s coat of arms. Then in October of 1985, the old flag was restored.

From the 9th century, Holland was ruled by a long line of ancestors. Dirk I was the first known ruler and the last was John I. Since John I died without having any children his relative, John II of Avesnes, came to power. Along with being the Count of Holland, John II of Avesnes was also the Count of Hainaut and Zeeland. During his rule the province was doing economically well with an increase in trade and successful fishing companies. About forty years after the passing of John II, the Hook and Cod civil war took place in Holland. Most of these wars were a result of a dispute over who would be the next to rule this successful province. The problem was solved when the title was given to Phillip III of Burgundy. In North Holland there are many cities and towns that each have a different energy and personality. Besides Amsterdam, another must see city in North Holland is the province capital, Haarlem. Inside Haarlem there are many museums, small cafes, and shops. If you happen to enjoy nature then the city of Bergen is for you. This town is highly popular for its wonderful landscape that promotes an active lifestyle. And if you find yourself in the cities of Alkmaar, Muidan, and Naarden, then you may come across many medieval buildings or museums with remains that have quality preservation.

South Holland also has plenty to offer in terms of cities and small towns. The city of Delft happens to be a tourist attraction for a number of reasons. One is that the city is known for its beautiful ceramics that have painted designs and pictures using only the colors blue and white. Delft is favored because of its classic but delightful architecture and its unique canals that run in the city. The oldest town in the Netherlands happens to be Alphen aan den Rijn, and it has been occupied for around 2,000 years. Opposite of such an old town is the city of Rotterdam. Being one of Europe’s largest ports, it is very popular and is growing to become more modern. The city offers magnificent skylines and buildings along with plenty of shops and museums.