"Free tour Rotterdam, history and architectural icons"

Welcome to the so-called Manhattan on the Meuse! A reinvented city that breaks with the architectural and traditional schemes of the Netherlands.
We start the tour at the stunning Central Station, and I will reveal what it points to.
The bombing in 1940 and its devastation pushed the city to completely reorganize itself, which is why we will pass through Lijbaan, a commercial area from '53 that was so pioneering it was imitated in other European cities.
We will continue our journey through Coolsingel where we will visit and discover why buildings like the Stadhuis (the town hall), the Witte Huis, or Saint Laurenskerk remained intact during the war. We will see where Napoleon Bonaparte stayed, you will enjoy the contrasts offered by the surroundings of the Oude Haven (the old port), we will reach the banks of the Meuse River where we will see the Erasmusbrug, Willemsburg, and De Hef bridges and talk about the battle against the Nazis that took place on one of them.
In our 2.5-hour walk, we will also see up close the Witte House, the Cube Houses, and we will end in front of the Markthall where you can enjoy the gastronomic variety it offers at the end of the tour.