Page 24 - Sphere No.21 (Mar 2008)

The Netherlands
has enjoyed a love
affair with the tulip
for centuries.
THE NETHERLANDS traditionally conjures up
images of bicycles, clogs, cheese and windmills
spinning lazily over flat green fields adorned with
brightly coloured tulips. While the icons remain,
there is so much more to this advanced nation,
qualities that allow it a reputation as a place where
the old and new marry harmoniously and create a
liberal culture rich in diversity.
Amsterdam provides a perfect example of this
dynamic, a study in contrasts and one of the pret-
tiest cities in Europe. Superb examples of what is
called Amsterdam Renaissance style architecture,
with its cornices, spires and bell towers, are promi-
nent throughout the capital. The famous Oude Kerk,
with an octagonal church bell tower that was once a
beacon for mariners, stands solemnly right in the heart
of the city, while patrician townhouses with manicured
gardens proudly co-exist with some of the best examples
of modern architecture and infrastructure in Europe.
The museums, Amsterdam has more than 50, are a trib-
ute to the nation’s past and an indicator of how the country,
often referred to as Holland, has forged ahead to become one
of the most liberal and tolerant societies in the world. While
the massive bulk of Rijksmuseum, the nation’s largest, is popu-
lar, it is places like Anne Frank House, where the little Jewish
girl kept her tragic diary, and Van Gogh Museum, an altar to a
tormented artistic talent the likes of which the world had never
seen, that draw tourists and swell the hearts of proud locals.
Then there are the canals, and with almost 20 per cent of
the country consisting of water, you are never far from one. In
Amsterdam, the waterways with their charming houseboats
provide a timeless feel, and it is said they are good purveyors
of feng shui.
But perhaps themost famous symbol of all is a humble flower.
The tulip has enjoyed a love affair with the Netherlands for cen-
turies, and (forget the rose) the blood red version of the flower
is supposed to be the symbol of perfect love. There are tulips
with strong andpungent perfumes, tulipswithpetals like satin
and tulips that blaze with all the vivid hues imaginable –
flaming oranges and reds, subtle pinks, crimson-blacks to
ivory whites, buttery yel-
lows, burgundies... the ar-
ray of colour and natural
pattern is endless.
F O C U S
22 SPHERE

How the tulip helps to define
a nation of culture
By John Church