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The resilient port city of Rotterdam has come back from the dark days of World War II, reborn as a modern metropolis from the ashes of the German bombing raids in 1940. The bombing virtually destroyed the port and harbor areas, which were rebuilt, however, with modern facilities that gave it an edge over older ports. Today, Rotterdam is the major terminus not only for shipping produce and other goods from Europe; it's also the world's most important oil terminal, with five major oil refineries located at the port. The city's reconstruction also gave a new generation of Dutch architects a chance to build on their talents. The result: A cityscape alive with the kinds of quirkyconstructions more commonly found in newer cities like Miami. Piet Blom's Picasso-esque cubist houses at the Blaakse Bos are local landmarks of weirdness, wherefurnishings have to be adapted to the tilted structures. The new Netherlands Architectuurinstitute showcases the best of Dutch design, while the Boymans-Van Beuningen Museum offers a world-class collection of modern art and earliermasterpieces. Though Rotterdam's one-time harbor, the Oude Haven, was decimated by the bombing, the medieval Grote Kerk was lovingly rebuilt by the locals. And in front of the church,the 1622 bronze statue of Erasmus (born in Rotterdam in 1469) still holds court. The former harbor itself has become a maritime museum, displaying decommissioned Rhinebarges. At the nearby Leuvehaven harbor, the Prins Hendrik Maritime Museum traces the city's watery heritage. Also moored there is the Museumschip Buffel, a 19th centurywarship-turned-museum. Today's Rotterdam still owes its fortune and fame to the watery ways that have long made it an international destination for trade and tourism. But now, its lost history is part of its allure, and its present dominance as a world trade center is steering the city's course into the next century.