Delft Tourist Attractions
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Delft lies on the river Schie between Rotterdam and The Hague. The picturesque old part of the town is ringed by canals and has a number of notable buildings such as the Old and New Churches, City Hall and the Eastern Gate, the only remains of the original old city walls.
New Church of Delft
In the center of the town of Delft, which is traversed by numerous canals, is the spacious Markt. In the center of the square can be seen a bronze statue of Hugo Grotius (by F. StrackG, 1886). On the east side of the square stands the Nieuwe Kerk (formerly St Ursulakerk; organ recitals in summer), a Gothic church built between 1396 and 1496. The 108m/354ft high tower is in Brabantine Gothic style, with a carillon of 1663; there are fine views from the top.In the ambulatory, to the right of the choir, is the monument of King William I (d. 1843 in Berlin), and on the wall above this is a memorial relief (by Antonio Canova, 1806) of Prince Frederick William of Orange (d. 1799), brought here from Padua, where he was originally buried. On the north wall of the choir is the marble monument of Hugo Grotius, and to the right of this, in the floor, can be seen the place where he is buried.
Tomb of William I
In the choir of Nieuwe Kerk in Delft is the magnificent tomb of William I of Orange (William the Silent), one of the great masterpieces of Dutch Baroque sculpture (by Hendrick de Keyser, 1614-21). It is richly decorated with symbols glorifying the dead man. Under a white canopy borne on black marble columns is a white figure of William the Silent, surrounded by bronze allegorical figures including Justice (with scales), Freedom (with scepter and hat), Valor (clad in a lion's skin) and Faith (with a book and a model of a church). In a vault below the tomb are buried 41 princes and princesses of the house of Orange (including Queen Wilhelmina, who died in 1948).
Nieuwe Kerk Tower
The 108m/354ft high tower is in Brabantine Gothic style, with a carillon of 1663; there are fine views from the top.
Town Hall
On the west side of the Markt, standing alone, is the Delft Town Hall (Stadhuis), in Renaissance style (facade restored 1966), which contains a number of fine paintings of the 16th-18th centuries. The original Town Hall was built in the early 13th century; then in the 15th century a stone tower, known as Het Steen, was built on the brick substructure of the original tower. In 1618 the Town Hall was destroyed by fire, leaving only the tower still standing, and was then rebuilt in its present form by Hendrick de Keyser. The facade is richly articulated by pilasters and sculpture. On the small gable is a figure of Justice. In the interior are a number of handsome rooms, including the Orange Gallery and the Council Chamber.
Municipal Theater
Behind the Delft Town Hall is the old municipal Weigh-House (Waag), now the Municipal Theater. Adjoining it is the Meat Hall (Vleeshal), identified by two ox-heads.
Old Church of Delft
Northwest of the Delft Town Hall, reached by way of the Hippolytusbuurt, stands the Oude Kerk (Heilige Geestkerkhof; Reformed), built around 1250, with a slightly leaning tower and fine timber vaulting of 1574. The tower, originally 14th century, was rebuilt in 1450 in a style very characteristic of "Coastal Gothic", with four corner turrets round the pyramidal roof.The church contains a number of important works of art - a carved pulpit of 1548; in the choir the marble tomb of Admiral Piet Hein (d. 1629), who captured the Spanish silver fleet in 1628; in the chapel to the left of the choir the tomb of Admiral Maarten Tromp (d. 1653), who commanded the Dutch navy in 32 naval battles; and on the wall of the porch the monument of the scientist Antoni van Leeuwenhoek. The painter Jan Vermeer is also buried in the church.
Old Town
To the west of Delft's Oude Kerk is the Oude Delft, a canal traversing the town from north to south on which there are a number of picturesque old houses. Other interesting old houses are to be seen in the immediate vicinity of Oude Kerk, in Voorstraat, Hippolytusbuurt, the Wijnhaven and the Koornmarkt.
Begijnhof
At Oude Delft is the Begijnhof, with a Late Gothic tower and a Baroque "hidden church" (built by Daniël Marot in 1743) in which Catholics worshipped in secret during the persecutions.
Prinsenhof
Opposite the Oude Kerk of Delft, at Agathaplein 1, is a picturesque group of buildings, the Prinsenhof. Built around 1400 as the nunnery of St Agatha, it was secularized after the Reformation and from 1575 was the residence of the Princes of Orange until Prince Maurice of Orange moved the seat of government to The Hague.The Prinsenhof has tragic associations in the history of the Netherlands, for it was here that William the Silent was assassinated in 1584. The mark of the bullet which killed him can still be seen on the staircase leading to the dining room.
Prinsenhof Museum
Housed in the Prinsenhof in Delft is an interesting museum, mainly devoted to the 80 years of war with Spain (1568-1648). There are also numerous items of local interest, portraits of members of the house of Orange and displays illustrating the history of Delft ware. In the oldest part of the convent (ca. 1430) is a two-story cloister which is unique in the Netherlands.
Nusantara Ethnographic Museum
To the south of the Prinsenhof in Delft, at Agathaplein 4, is the small Nusantara Ethnographic Museum, with exhibits illustrating the cultures of Indonesia.
Lambert van Meerten Museum
North of Delft's Prinsenhof, on the Oude Delft, is the Lambert van Meerten Museum, an important collection of applied art, with period furniture and paintings and an extensive display of Delft ware, all well displayed and presented on the museum's two floors.
Dyke Office
At Oude Delft 167 stands the Gemeenlandshuis (Dike Office) of the old County of Delfland (from 1644). In the early 16th century this was the residence of Jan de Sluyter, Dike-Master of Delfland and Burgomaster of Delft. The stone gable is decorated with handsome coats of arms.
Netherlands Military Museum
In the southern part of the Oude Delft is the 17th century Armamentarium (entrance at Korte Geer 1), the old Arsenal of the States of Holland (restored and extended in 1696). Since 1913 it has housed the Netherlands Military Museum. Traditionally the museum was confined to the postwar period, but it now also includes the collections of pre-1945 material previously to be seen in Leiden.
Paul Tétar van Elven Museum
To the south of the Delft Town Hall, at Koornmarkt 67, the Paul Tétar van Elven Museum contains the collection assembled by the painter of that name (1823-96). With its old furniture and Delft tiles, the artist's studio is redolent of the atmosphere of its period. Van Elven was teacher of drawing at the Delft Polytechnic (now the University of Technology).
Oostpoort
Going southeast from the choir of the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft along the Oosteinde canal, we come to the picturesque Oostpoort, situated at the junction of a number of canals at the southeast corner of the old town. The twin towers of this old town gate, built about 1400, were heightened in the 16th century by the addition of octagonal upper stories and pointed roofs. From here there are fine views of the town.
University of Technology
On the south side of the old town of Delft are the administrative offices of the University of Technology, originally founded in 1863. The modern university buildings lie in the southeast of the town, beyond the Rhine-Schie Canal.
Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles
At Rotterdamseweg 196, on the south side of Delft, is the Porceleyne Fles, the porcelain factory in which the Delft ware ("Delft Blue") which has been famed since the 17th century is still produced (showroom).Visitors can tour the facility.
Hippolytusbuurt Flower Market
Of interest in Delft is the Flower Market on Hippolytusbuurt.
More Delft Pictures
Map of Delft Attractions
Map - Delft
