The Netherlands - your host country

The Netherlands is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba in the Caribbean. The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy, located in Western Europe. It is bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south and Germany to the east.

Rotterdam is the second largest municipality in the Netherlands after the capital Amsterdam by population size, and the largest city in the province Zuid-Holland (South Holland). The port of Rotterdam is the largest in Europe. Rotterdam is situated on the banks of the river Nieuw Maas ('New Meuse'), and of the channels in the delta formed by the Rhine and Meuse rivers. The name Rotterdam derives from a dam in the Rotte river.

From Rotterdam, it is easy to travel to other cities like Amsterdam, The Hague, Delft and Utrecht. The Tourist Office (VVV Rotterdam Store) on the Coolsingel can give you more detailed information about the tourist attractions, of which a few are mentioned below. Worth visiting in Amsterdam are the Vincent van Gogh museum, with a large collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries, the Rijksmuseum, with a collection of 17th century paintings, the home of Anne Frank and the Dam (the war monument, opposite to the Royal Palace). Amsterdam is also famous for its canals, parks and red-light district. After the flood of 1953, a great project was started in order to master the sea. This project, called the Delta Works, consists of the construction of several dams in the sea arms of the Southwestern part of the Netherlands and the raising of existing dikes. The largest one, the Oosterschelde-dam, also has the possibility to be opened and closed, in order to create low and high tide, which is necessary for sea life in the Oosterschelde. Visit the exhibition on the isle Neeltje Jans in the middle of the Oosterschelde-dam. When you think about the Netherlands, you surely think of cheese, tulips, wooden shoes and windmills.

The latter you can see in Kinderdijk. Here, a new expocentre houses an exhibition of the past; present and future water management of this area. The expo-centre and nineteen mills – a few of them are opened to visitors – are located in the polder. Standing on the dikes, you can see that here; people are living below sea level. If you are interested in the old fishing industry, it is nice to visit villages like Marken, Volendam, Urk or the open-air museum in Enkhuizen.

If you want to visit all the attractions of the Netherlands in one afternoon, just visit Madurodam in The Hague, the miniature version of the Netherlands. In the evening hours, or rather after sunset, 50.000 lights in the streets and houses are switched on.

Climate

The Netherlands has a maritime climate. The average temperature in August is 20 C or 70 F. However, the weather in the Netherlands can be very unpredictable, so you should be prepared for all kinds of weather.

Going out in Rotterdam

The tourist information centre (VVV) is located in the city centre. They can provide you with tips and information about highlights in Rotterdam and other cities in The Netherlands. In August, lots of (free) out door festivals are organized. Visit www.vvvrotterdam.nl for a list of events and dates, restaurants, bars and clubs.

Rotterdam city map

Click here for the city map of Rotterdam.

Shopping

Shops in Rotterdam are open from 9.30 to 17.30 hrs. On Mondays shops are open from 11.00 hrs. On Fridays most of the shops are open until 21.00 hrs. On Sundays, the shops in the city centre area are open from 12.00 to 17.00 hrs. The currency used in The Netherlands is the Euro (€).

Venue

Erasmus MC Medical School
Dr. Molewaterplein 50,
3015 GE Rotterdam
The Netherlands

Useful websites

Erasmus Medical Center: www.erasmusmc.nl
Erasmus Medical Center Directions: www.erasmusmc.nl/overerasmusmc/bereikbaarheid/faculteitsgebouw/?lang=en
Public Transport in Rotterdam: www.ret.nl
Tourist Office Rotterdam: www.vvvrotterdam.nl
Airport Schiphol Amsterdam: www.schiphol.nl
Airport Zestienhoven Rotterdam: www.rotterdam-airport.nl

Public transport

For overcoming longer distances within Rotterdam, you can travel by underground (metro), tram or bus. Rotterdam has two metro-lines: north south ('Erasmus line') and east west ('Caland line'). The metro is the fastest way to cross town. The Congress venue is within walking distance from the hotels booked for the duration of the Course.

How to pay

If you travel by bus, underground (metro) and tram you have to buy a card (‘strippenkaart’) or a chipcard, available at railway or metrostations, most supermarkets or tobacco shops.
All areas are divided into travel zones. You always pay the number of zones you travel plus one extra standard unit. Paying means that you get a stamp on your card (strippenkaart). A chipcard can be uploaded in special ATM's located at each metrostation and per trip an amount is automatically deduced from card after entering and departing the sensor gates at the stations.

Rotterdam Taxi companies

RTC tel: +31(0)10-4257000 St. Job tel: +31(0)10 2440292

Transport outside Rotterdam

Rotterdam can easily be reached by train. Schiphol airport (Amsterdam) has its own railway station. Travel time from Schiphol to Rotterdam Central Station is approximately 50 minutes. Utrecht, Amsterdam, Schiphol (airport), Leiden, The Hague, Delft and Rotterdam can be reached all night.

Useful websites

Smoking ban

In the Netherlands it is forbidden to smoke in enclosed places of work, public buildings, public transport and stations (with exception of designated smoking areas) and in restaurants, bars and hotels. Smoking is not allowed within the Congress venue, except outside the building.

Time zone

GMT + 1

Erasmus

Erasmus was born in Rotterdam (±1467).
After the death of his parents around 1483/4, Erasmus attended a school conducted by monks. Despite his ambition to attend university, he entered a monastery in Steyn, compelled by his guardians.

Although monastic life may have contributed to the development of Erasmus’ exceptional intellectual discipline and integrity, the correct use of free will, and a life dedicated to literary studies and enlightened discourse must have conflicted with the restriction of the monastery. Nevertheless Erasmus was ordained a priest in 1492 (when Columbus discovered America...).

In 1495, the bishop agreed to release Erasmus to study theology at the University of Paris. Here, after his first published writing on the history of France, he became gradually well known in intellectual circles. It was in this time, Erasmus wrote his most important works, the Colloquia and the Adagia, a collection of classical Latin and Greek proverbs.

During his stay near Louvain, Erasmus wrote the Enchiridion militis Christiani.
This book formulated his views on current religious conduct and, based on his own theological programmes, gave a clear guide for Christian living. In 1516, Erasmus published his version of the New Testament in Greek, Novum Instrumentum, with a Latin translation and critical notes in the margins. Despite the criticism on this work, Erasmus’ importance as a theologian, scholar and moralist could no longer be doubted. He was seen as the prime leader of the liberal reform movement in Europe.

Erasmus was an enlightened philosopher, a citizen of the world, rather than of any particular nation. His vision was universal in spirit: that knowledge is preferable to ignorance, order to chaos and, above all, that humanity is more valuable than dogma. He was controversial, and above all a powerful intellectual authority.