Amsterdam isn’t the only city in the Netherlands with beautiful buildings and fun places to visit. Cities like Naarden, Leiden, Haarlem all have something beautiful to catch the eye, especially for first-time visitors. Rotterdam is one of those cities with lots of breathtaking architecture with a wow-effect for visitors. The Euromast is perhaps the most famous building in Rotterdam. But despite the fact that it is so well known, many people do not know what it is exactly and what you can do there. You might be surprised by the versatility of this historic tower.
The Tower
As the name suggests, the Euromast design draws its inspiration from the mast of a ship. It is, therefore, a huge pole, with a sort of crow’s nest at the top. At a height of 185 meters, the building is currently the tallest building in the Netherlands. Although, it has not always been the case. After the original construction, which ended in 1960, it was only 101 meters high. Due to the construction of much higher buildings all over the world, an extra space tower was added later on top of the crow’s nest because the Euromast didn’t want to fall behind. The reason for the development of the Euromast was the organization of the Floriade. The Floriade is an international exhibition and garden festival held every year in the Netherlands.
Skyline
There’ so much to the Euromast than just a tower. It is the ideal way to view the skyline of Rotterdam. It is often not necessary to erect tall buildings for the viewing of city skylines, but in Rotterdam, this is certainly not a superfluous luxury. This city has a skyline that can be real and it attracts many tourists every year. The Maas with the harbors and the Erasmus Bridge that runs over it, and behind it the gigantic and beautiful city, offer exceptional views. This is especially in the evenings when the city is fully lit and the view is breathtaking. Historical Delfshaven is also within walking distance and the mast is also close to the Maas tunnel.
Food in the Euromast
Different sorts of food are served in the Euromast. You can enjoy delicious food while taking in a beautiful view of Rotterdam. Reserve brunch, lunch, dinner, high tea or high wine seats. Plenty of options. Food and drinks at the Euromast are all at affordable prices. Even better: a sustainable policy is also applied. In addition to eating and drinking, the Euromast offers the possibility to spend the night. In this way, visitors are guaranteed an appropriate end to an exciting outing. Check the Euromast website for all the options and be surprised.
Other Activities
Does viewing the skyline sound a bit boring to you and are you a daring person who loves adventures? You may not believe it, but you can abseil or zip-line from the Euromast! If you really want to experience the Euromast, but don’t need to in an extreme way, you can, for example, zip-line or use the Euroscoop, the panorama lift that is accessible from a height of 112 meters. The Euromast offers fantastic 360-degree views of the city and harbor. The viewing platform and the brasserie are at an altitude of 100 meters. With the Euroscoop you can even go up to 185 meters. A guide is available on weekends and during holidays and public holidays. In addition, the Euromast is the only attraction in Europe that you can abseil from, and under the guidance of a professional of course. The brasserie is open from 11 a.m. for lunch, high tea, high wine and dinner. On Sundays, lunch can be done from 10 a.m. On the ground floor is Deli, a cozy and child-friendly self-service restaurant with many sweet treats. Groups of more than 12 people are also welcome, but they must book in advance.
Visitors to the Euromast have to take the lift in 30 seconds to a height of 100 meters, where the viewing platform and the brasserie are located. From there they have a 360 degrees view of Rotterdam and the surrounding area.
The Euromast Green Key certified – has two exclusives, modernly furnished suites: Heaven & Stars. These are located above the brasserie, located on the viewing platforms at more than a hundred meters. The largest suite Heaven is on the south side and has a view of the world port of Rotterdam. The smaller suite Stars is located on the north side and offers a view of the Rotterdam skyline. Both have free WiFi.
History
The Euromast was built in 1960 during the Floriade. It was designed by Huig Maaskant and J.P. van Eesteren and was initially 100 meters high. In 1970 the tower was expanded with a Space Tower, to a height of no less than 185 meters. The Euromast is, therefore, the highest observation tower in the Netherlands. The tower was opened on 25 March 1960 by Princess Beatrix. In 1970 the tower was increased by 85 meters by the Space Tower on top of the tower. In 2004, the hotel suites were added to the top of the Euromast. The Euromast has been a national monument since 2010.
