Erasmusbrug, Kop van Zuid, Katendrecht & Noordereiland

Erasmusbrug

This bridge, which is also known as the “Swan” by the Rotterdammers, was built in 1996 and has since become vital to the city. It connects the “Kop van Zuid” with the city center. From the Erasmus Bridge you can enjoy the view over the Nieuwe Maas, where water taxis and ships come and go. To the right you can see the largest port of Europe and the spectacular Rotterdam skyline. Once you cross the bridge you are in Kop van Zuid.

Kop van Zuid

In a place where in earlier times dockworkers labored and emigrants bode farewell to their country, there is now a place for mundane living, going out and enjoying life. The Kop van Zuid, located on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas, has been developed in the former harbor areas around the Binnenhaven, Entrepothaven, Rijnhaven, Spoorweghaven and Wilhelminapier.

Together with the Nieuwe Maas, these ports created a large physical distance between the city center just north of the Maas and Rotterdam South. By transforming this area into urban areas, the North and South were united.

Once you cross the Erasmus Bridge, you will find a beautiful and vibrant part of Rotterdam with plenty of (architectural) sights, activities, culture, museums, restaurants, cafes, coffee shops and markets.

For example, on the Wilhelminapier you will see the imposing building “De Rotterdam” of the famous Rotterdam architect Rem Koolhaas and the historic “New York Hotel”. In the former headquarters of the “Holland-America Line” you can spend the night in the atmosphere of the past. In addition, you will find the Nederlands Fotomuseum (Dutch Photo Museum) on the Wilhelminapier. At the end of Wilhelminapier, next to Hotel New York, you can easily reach hip Katendrecht via the Rijnhaven Bridge. The Rijnhavenbrug is also called the hooker’s bridge because of Katendrecht’s sketchy past.

Katendrecht

What was formerly Chinatown and the neighborhood for sailors and prostitutes is nowadays a hip dream destination for foodies.

In the last few years, Schiereiland Katendrecht has evolved into one of the most vibrant areas of the city without losing its raw edges. Around the charming Deliplein, you can enjoy the nice restaurants, lunchrooms, cafés and terraces.

Housed in one of the old Fenix warehouses on the water is the Fenix Food Factory, a covered fresh market where you can shop for artisanal products – from oven-fresh bread to handmade sausage and cider. The sunshine on the terraces along the banks of the Maas is enchanting. The showpiece of the island is the ss Rotterdam, the cruise ship that in the 1960s commuted between Rotterdam and Manhattan and now has a permanent place at the head of Katendrecht.

Noordereiland 

The Koningshavenbrug is also known as “De Hef”. The bridge was fi rst used in 1878. Nowadays it’s no more than a monument. Next to the Koningshavenbrug lies a second bridge, the Koninginnebrug (Queen’s Bridge), which was put into service in 1929.

The Koninginnebrug is a bascule bridge and it lies across the Koningshaven. The bridge provides access to the Noordereiland. The Noordereiland is in the middle of the Maas. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, you should defi nitely go to this island. The Noordereiland was spared in the May 1940 bombing because the Germans were hiding here.

When leaving the Noordereiland you cross the red Willemsbrug, which has connected the Noordereiland with the city center since 1981. The fi rst bridge, which opened in 1878, played an important role in the invasion of the Germans during World War II. The Rotterdam Navy defended the city from this bridge. If you are across the street from the Willemsbrug, you are in Oude Haven.
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