Travel Guide to Delft, Netherlands

The centre of Delft is the location of more than 600 historical places of interest. Most of them were created in the 16th and 17th centuries, and some of them appeared even earlier. The city got it name after the first artificial canal – the Old Delft. Near it visitors will find several historical buildings. Among them you will see St Barbara Cathedral of the 14th century, which used to be an asylum and now it's a students' club. St Ippolit Chapel was built at the convent of the Holy Spirit in 1400. The building of Delft Water Department was constructed it the beginning of the 16th century. It features fantastic gothic style with a lot of fabulous sculptures and blazonry. Initially, it was a residential construction, but since the 17th century the building has become the location of the Royal Council. The Prince of Savoy Arms building features beautiful front made in the Renaissance style in the 16th century. Nowadays, this is the location of Public Archival Service. Babylon Church is the location of St Agatha Chapel. After the death of Prince William of Orange, he was buried there. The building of the Dutch East India Company was created in the 17th century. In the end of the 20th century the complex was turned into the Hall of Dutch East India Company. The hotel De Mol built in the 15th century is one of the oldest buildings in Delft.

The Museum of Army. The Armentarium was restored, and now it is used as the Museum of Army. This is the place where tourists can see Dutch armoury and other items related to military and war - weapons, pictures, paintings and many other things. The front of the building is the location of a huge relief of 17th century with the image of Mars.

The New Cathedral. The New Cathedral on Market Square is a gothic basilica of the 14th century. Here you will see the mausoleum of William of Orange (17th century), above which visitors will find the crypt of the royal family. Hugo Grotius was also buried in this cathedral. The cathedral’s broach of the 19th century is 100 m high and has chimes on the top. The cathedral is open for all visitors. Market Square is the location of another famous historical construction - the City Hall. The City Hall was built in the Middle Ages on the site of a prison. After the fire the City Hall was rebuilt in the Renaissance style, but the gothic tower of the 13th century left untouched. The building called 'Scales' was projected in the 16th century. In the 18th century, after the nearby houses were united and the front of the building was restored, the building changed its look to what we can see today. The building is occupied by the Guild of gold and silver jewellers and the Guild of chemists.

The Prisenhof. Primordially the Prisenhof was St Agatha's Cathedral. It was built in the 15th century in the late gothic style, but a century later some outhouses were created. First of all, the Prisenhof is famous for the fact that there was killed William of Orange. On the landing one can see the holes from the bullets. That's why after the restoration the Prisenhof serves as the National Museum. The exposition contains paintings by Delftian artists of the 16th and 17th centuries, Delftian china, silver ware and modern art. At St Agatha's Square the Nusatara Museum is located. It has the collection of ethnographic objects, which were used in colonies for instructing the service before going to India.

The Old Church. The Old Church, which also used to be the churchyard of the Holy Spirit, was built in the beginning of the 13th century and as the time passed it turned into a huge church in different gothic styles. In the church some hundreds of people were buried, among them there are such famous people as corsairs Pit Hine and Martin Tromph, scientist Anthony van Levenhuk and artist Vermeer. The church tower of the 14th century is 75 m high and is a little bit lopsided. On the top the chimes of the 16th century are placed; they are so heavy that are wound only on special occasions.

The Mill de Roos was built in the 18th century and at those times it was situated on the city rampart.

The Easten Gates were built in the beginning of the 15th century and nowadays they are the only city gates that left till our time. Their towers are not so old: they were overbuilt in the 16th century. The Eastern Gates consist of the gates built both on water and ground, which are connected with walls. Nowadays the gates are used as domicile and showroom.

The museums of the Delft University of Technology. The Museum of Technology is a permanent exhibition that tells us about steam-engines, computers and historical instruments for measure and weighing. In the Botanical Garden on the purpose of science they grow such plants, as cacao, sugar-cane, bamboo, coco-trees and citruses. In the Museum of Mineralogy you'll see the collection of fossils, stones, ore, minerals, meteorites and corals. In this museum you can also learn about such geological processes as volcanism or mountain formation.

Read more about Delft:
Restaurants and cuisine in Delft
Local traditions and lifestyle
'Must visit' places in Delft
Nightlife and attractions in Delft
Preparing for Delft: Advices
Delft photogallery