Rotterdam is a port city located in the west of the Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The city is located on the Nieuwe Maas, one of the rivers in the delta formed by the Rhine and Meuse rivers. The port of Rotterdam, long the largest in the world, is the largest and most important in Europe. The port area extends over a length of 40 kilometres,[1] the name Rotterdam dates back to the 13th century and refers to a dam in the river Rotte. The historic city centre was largely destroyed by a German bombing raid in May 1940. Rotterdam is known for its innovative architecture. The Euromast was erected by architect Huig Maaskant and contractor J.P. van Eesteren in Het Park, near the entrance to the Maastunnel, on the occasion of the Floriade in 1960. The building was officially opened by Princess Beatrix on 25 March 1960. The location was strategically chosen; anyone driving to Rotterdam on the then-existing motorways could see the 107-metre-high tower (including the flagpole) towering straight ahead above the city. But the city grew and buildings got taller. After a few years, buildings rose above the Euromast.