Freestate Amsterdam: Difference between revisions

[[File:180px-Flag_of_AmsterdamFlag of Amsterdam.optimized.png|frame|Rated XXX. No, seriously --[["Not Making This Up" Disclaimer|''that's'' their city flag]].]]

Note about the flag: Rated XXX, that sounds pretty cool, but actually it's much older -- eacholder—each of those Xs are St. Andrew's crosses, in honor of the city's patron saint. The official explanation of the three crosses is that they represent the biggest threats in Amsterdam's history: fire -- becausefire—because medieval houses were made of timber and stand next to each other, increasing risks of huge fires -- flood -- becausefires—flood—because the River Amstel often flooded -- and plague --flooded—and becauseplague—because the canals were filthy and one could contract all kinds of diseases from the water therein. Another theory goes that the crosses were part of the coat-of-arms of an old noble family, who were patrons of the town of some sort, and so the town adopted their design in its own coat of arms, but it is not known which family that was. (Probably not [[The Family for the Whole Family|that one]].)