The Randstad
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1. Museum Het Prinsenhof
A former dignitary-hosting convent of St. Agatha, the Prinsenhof Museum is celebrated as the residence of Prince William the Silent, beloved as Vader des Vaderlands (Father of the Nation) for his role in the Spanish Revolt and a hero whose tragic end here gave this structure the sobriquet "cradle of Dutch liberty." The complex of buildings was taken over by the government of the new Dutch Republic in 1572 and given to William of Orange for his use as a residence. On July 10, 1584, fevered by monies offered by Philip II of Spain, Bathasar Gerard, a Catholic fanatic, gained admittance to the mansion and succeeded in shooting the prince on the staircase hall, since known as Moordhal (Murder Hall). The fatal bullet holes—the teykenen der koogelen—are still visible in the stairwell. Today, the imposing structure is a museum, with a 15th-century chapel, a quaint courtyard, and a bevy of elegantly furnished 17th-century rooms filled with antique pottery, silver, tapestries, and House of Orange portraits, along with exhibits on Dutch history.
Sint Agathaplein 1, Delft, South Holland, 2611 HR, Netherlands015-260–2358Sight Details
Rate Includes: €12.50, Closed Mon. Sept.–Feb., Tues.–Sun. 11–5 -
2. Vermeer Centrum
Housed in the former St. Lucas Guild, where Delft's favorite son was dean for many years, the center takes visitors on a multimedia journey through the life and work of Johannes Vermeer. Touch screens, projections, and other interactive features are interspersed with giant reproductions of the master's work, weaving a tale of 17th-century Delft and drawing you into the mind of the painter.
Voldersgracht 21, Delft, South Holland, 2611 EE, Netherlands015-213–8588Sight Details
Rate Includes: €10, Daily 10–5 -
3. Bagijnhof
The city sided with the (Protestant) Dutch rebels during the Eighty Years' War, and when the (Catholic) Spanish were driven out in 1572, the city reverted to Protestantism, leaving many Catholic communities in dire straits. One group of women was permitted to stay and practice their religion, but according to a new law, their place of worship had to be very modest: a drab exterior in the Bagijnhof, a weather-beaten 13th-century Gothic gate on the Oude Delft just north of the Lambert van Meerten Museum, hides their sumptuously Baroque church.
Bagijnhof, Delft, South Holland, Netherlands -
4. Delftse Molen de Roos
Just to the west of Oude Delft is Phoenixstraat, where you'll find this working flour mill that originally stood on the town ramparts. Parts of the mill date back to 1679. The platform encircling the mill about halfway up was restored in 1990, and the whole building underwent a second, crowd-funded restoration in 2014. Unused for many years, grain is once again milled here and available for purchase in the Ambacht shop on the ground floor. When the miller is working, you can usually climb up the vertiginous stairs to get a view from the platform as the sails swoosh by.
Phoenixstraat 112, Delft, South Holland, 2611 AK, NetherlandsSight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Sun.–Tues., Thurs.–Sat. 10–noon, and occasionally Sun. 10–noon (when miller is present) -
5. Gemeenlandshuis
The pretty, tree-lined Oude Delft canal has numerous historic gabled houses along its banks and takes the honors for being the first canal in the city, and possibly the first city canal anywhere in the Netherlands. One of the finest buildings along its length, the "Common Land house" is a spectacular example of 16th-century Gothic architecture and is adorned with brightly painted shields and a coat of arms. A few yards east of here, across the canal on the corner of Hippolytusbuurt and Cameretten, is a row of visbanken (fish stalls), built along the canal in 1650. Fish has been sold over the counter here pretty much ever since.
Oude Delft 167, Delft, South Holland, 2611 HB, Netherlands -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Markt
Delft's main square is bracketed by two town landmarks, the Stadhuis (Town Hall) and the Nieuwe Kerk. Here, too, are cafés, restaurants, and souvenir shops (most selling imitation Delftware) and, on Thursday, a busy general market. Number 52 is the site of Johannes Vermeer's house, where the 17th-century painter spent much of his youth. Not far away is a statue of Grotius, or Hugo de Groot, born in Delft in 1583 and one of Holland's most famous humanists and lawyers.
Delft, South Holland, 2611 GT, Netherlands -
7. Nieuwe Kerk
Presiding over the Markt, this late-Gothic edifice was built between 1483 and 1510. It represents more than a century's worth of Dutch craftsmanship—as though its founders knew it would one day be the last resting place of the man who built the nation, William the Silent, and his descendants of the House of Orange. In 1872 the noted architect P. J. H. Cuypers raised the tower to its current height. There are 22 columns surrounding the ornate black-marble-and-alabaster tomb of William of Orange, which was designed by Hendrick de Keyser and his son. The small dog you see at the prince's feet is rumored to have starved to death after refusing to eat following his owner's death. Throughout the church are paintings, stained-glass windows, and memorabilia associated with the Dutch royal family. There are other mausoleums, most notably that of the lawyer-philosopher Grotius. In summer it is possible to climb the 380-odd steps of the church tower for an unparalleled view that stretches as far as Scheveningen to the north and Rotterdam to the south.
Markt 80, Delft, South Holland, 2611 GT, NetherlandsSight Details
Rate Includes: Nieuwe Kerk and Oude Kerk €5.50, tower climb €4.50, church/tower combi €8.50, Closed Sun., Apr.–Oct., Mon.–Sat. 9–6; Nov.–Jan., weekdays 11–4, Sat. 10–5; Feb. and Mar., Mon.–Sat. 10–5 -
8. Oostpoort
At the southern end of the Oosteinde canal, the fairy tale twin turrets of the Oostpoort form Delft's only remaining city gate. Dating back to 1400, with the spires added in 1514, parts of the structure are now a private residence, but you can still walk over the drawbridge. It is a short walk out of the center, but the effort of getting there is more than rewarded by the view.
Delft, South Holland, Netherlands -
9. Oude Kerk
At the very heart of town, the oldest church in Delft (founded in 1200) is the last resting place of Vermeer. Construction went on until the 15th century, which accounts for the combination of architectural styles, and much of the austere interior reflects the latter part of the work. The tower, dating from 1350, started leaning in the Middle Ages and is today 6 feet off-kilter; the tilt to the east is somewhat stabilized by the 3-foot tilt to the north, but still prohibits ascent. At the top is the largest carillon bell in the Netherlands, weighing nearly 20,000 pounds, now used only on state occasions.
Heilige Geestkerkhof 25, Delft, South Holland, 2611 HP, NetherlandsSight Details
Rate Includes: Oude Kerk and Nieuwe Kerk €5.50, Closed Sun., Apr.–Oct., Mon.–Sat. 9–6; Nov.–Jan., weekdays 11–4, Sat. 10–5; Feb and Mar., Mon.–Sat. 10–5 -
10. Paul Tétar van Elven Museum
This 18th-century canalside mansion was the former home of 19th-century painter Paul Tétar van Elven. The interior he created is charmingly redolent of Ye Olde Delft, complete with painted ceilings, antiques, and even a reproduction of an artist's atelier done up in the Old Dutch style.
Koornmarkt 67, Delft, South Holland, 2611 EC, Netherlands015-212–4206Sight Details
Rate Includes: €7.50, Closed Mon., Tues.–Sun. 1–5 -
11. Prinsentuin
Beside the Prinsenhof is Agathaplein, a Late Gothic leafy square built around 1400 and shaded by huge chestnut trees. At the center is the Prinsentuin, a cultivated garden that offers a calming respite from the city streets.
Agathaplein, Delft, South Holland, Netherlands -
12. Royal Delft Factory
It's corny, even sometimes a little tacky—miniature clogs, anyone?—but no visit to Delft would be complete without stopping at a Delft porcelain factory to see plates and tulip vases being painted by hand and perhaps picking up a souvenir or two. De Porceleyne Fles is the original and most famous home to the popular blue-and-white pottery. Regular demonstrations of molding and painting pottery are given by the artisans. On the bottom of each object is a triple signature: a plump vase topped by a straight line, the stylized letter "F" below it, and the word "Delft." Blue is no longer the only official color: in 1948, a rich red cracked glaze was premiered depicting profuse flowers, graceful birds, and leaping gazelles. There is New Delft, a range of green, gold, and black hues, whose exquisite minuscule figures are drawn to resemble an old Persian tapestry; the Pynacker Delft, borrowing Japanese motifs in rich oranges and golds; and the brighter Polychrome Delft, which can strike a brilliant sunflower-yellow effect.
Rotterdamseweg 196, Delft, South Holland, 2628 AR, Netherlands015-760–0800Sight Details
Rate Includes: Museum €14, Daily 9–5 -
13. Stadhuis
At the west end of the Markt, the Town Hall is a gray-stone edifice with picturesque red shutters and lavish detailing, designed in 1618 by Hendrick de Keyser, one of the most prolific architects of the Golden Age. Inside is a grand staircase and Council Chamber with a famous old map of Delft. You can view the interior only by making arrangements through the Delft tourist office, which can also issue you a ticket to visit the torture chamber in Het Steen—this 13th-century tower is all that remains from Delft's original medieval Town Hall.
Markt 87, Delft, South Holland, 2611 GS, NetherlandsSight Details
Rate Includes: By appointment
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