Oost-Indisch Huis

The Oost-Indisch Huis was build as the headquarters of the Dutch East India Company, which was a powerful trade organisation and the first multinational company of the world. The Dutch East India Company was the richest business that has ever existed, with the power to form and rule over colonies, such as Indonesia. They were allowed to make treaties and declare war. It also had a gigantic war and trade fleet, capable of waging entire wars against other European nations, like England, Spain and Portugal, to enforce its commercial business. So the building has a long history it. The building also served as an archive and storage building for the company. Today it’s one of the many buildings of the University of Amsterdam.