The city of Amsterdam, lying on the Amstel River, was founded in the 13th century. The city became an important trade center trading mainly with the cities of the Hanseatic League.
The 17th century was the Golden Age of Amsterdam, with the VOC (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie) and WIC (West-Indische Compagnie) which became multinational companies trading worldwide. The city was expanded with a ring of canals including the Herengracht, the Keizersgracht and the Prinsengracht, as well as the Jordaan quarter on the western side. The world's first Stock Exchange was located in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is the official capital of the Netherlands, although the government and parliament are located in The Hague.