Following the Dutch Revolt, Amsterdam emerged as the world’s "global switching station".
: Its history is a masterclass in how a city navigates shifting political borders while maintaining a fierce mercantile identity. 3. Hamburg: The "Free" Gateway
Once the premier market of the 1500s, Antwerp’s fate was dramatically rewired by the Siege of 1585.
: A bustling, noisy hub where spices, silk, and porcelain flowed through the famous canal belt.
