The ancient town of Dordrecht (Dordt for short) lies just southeast of Rotterdam, picturesquely situated between the Oude Maas (here navigable for large ocean-going ships) and the Noord and Dordtse Kil, two branches of the Rhine. It has shipyards and shipping offices and is also an important water sports center. Dordrecht has several place of
interest including two churches, Groothoofds Gate, and merchant houses. In the past, thanks to its favorable situation, it was the wealthiest trading town and port in the Netherlands, but was overtaken in the 18th century by Antwerp and Rotterdam. Dordrecht is now both a seaport and a river port, handling some four million tons of goods annually, mostly goods in transit. In addition to its metalworking, shipbuilding and chemical industries it has extensive service industries.
According to the Ghent Chronicles, Dordrecht was destroyed by the Norsemen in 937. It first appears in the records, however, only in 1138, under the name of Thuredri(c)ht. When it received its municipal charter in 1220 it was already an important commercial town, trading with England, the Rhineland and Flanders. The St Elizabeth's Day flood in 1421 left the area south of Dordrecht under water and hampered the economic development of the town, since its communications by land were now largely severed. In 1457 much of the town was destroyed in a great fire. In the 16th century Dordrecht took on a fresh lease of life, and in the latter part of the century it became an important center of the fight for liberation. After the capture of Brielle in 1572 the town came out in support of Prince William, and it was in Dordrecht that the 12 towns which had declared their independence met and appointed William I Stadholder of Holland. Their meeting marked the establishment of the United Provinces. In 1618-19 the Dordrecht Synod met here to settle the conflict between Calvinists and Lutherans. A number of important painters were born in Dordrecht during the 17th century, including Ferdinand Bol, Aelbert Cuyp and Nicolaas Maes; some of them were pupils of Rembrandt. Also born in Dordrecht were the two great statesmen Johan (1625-72) and Cornelis (1623-72) de Witt. Johan became Grand Pensionary of Holland (in effect prime minister and foreign minister) in 1653 and Cornelis became burgomaster of Dordrecht in 1666. As opponents of the Prince of Orange, the brothers were murdered in 1672 in The Hague (in the Gevangenpoort of the Binnenhof). In the early 18th century Dordrecht was overtaken as a port first by Amsterdam and then by Rotterdam. It began to recover some importance only towards the end of the 19th century.
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