Even though Amsterdam likes to flirt with the idea of being the smallest metropolis in the world, the city on the Amstel effortlessly competes in the league of the greats: The world-famous 17th-century canal belt has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nearly 9,000 buildings from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries reflect the history of this traditional city, which was long one of the most important trade and economic centers in the world. From here, during the Golden Age, the United East India Company and the West India Company directed their global trading empires. Characterized by openness and tolerance, the city has repeatedly become a refuge for people who were persecuted elsewhere for their religious or political beliefs. Culture lovers pilgrimage to the Museumplein, home to the magnificently restored Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Stedelijk Museum.