Gemeenlandshuis (Water Board House), Delft

Gemeenlandshuis (Water Board House), Delft

Water management and flood control in Delft in the 16th century was managed through regular checks of the dike systems. The Dike Warden and his crew would meet in the closest house or pub and stay there until the local water management problem was solved. As the city grew, a new approach was needed. So, the Waterboard House came to be.

Water Board House is a building that is used or has been used as a Water Board HQ. The Water Board, as a governing body, needed a building as impressive as the Town Hall. In Delft the Waterboard House is home to the Delfland Water Board. It is a Late-Gothic building located at Old Delft 167. It was built in 1505.

The first owner of the building was Jan de Huyter, a bailiff of Delft. The Delfland Water Board has been housed here since 1645. It has a sandstone facade covered by a generous number of Coats of Arms and shields. Inside is a huge collection of old charts and maps of Delfland.

The building is not open to public, but it is well worth a few photos from the outside.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Delft. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Gemeenlandshuis (Water Board House) on Map

Sight Name: Gemeenlandshuis (Water Board House)
Sight Location: Delft, Netherlands (See walking tours in Delft)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Delft, Netherlands

Create Your Own Walk in Delft

Create Your Own Walk in Delft

Creating your own self-guided walk in Delft is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Johannes Vermeer's Delft Walk

Johannes Vermeer's Delft Walk

The Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer (1632 – 1675) spent almost his entire life in his home town, Delft. He left only a few times, towards the end, on the short trips to Amsterdam and The Hague.

The old Delft undoubtedly was one of the most typical little towns of the 17th-century Netherlands, and as such, was rather picturesque. Just like any other Dutch place, Delft was dominated by its...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Delft Introduction Walking Tour

Delft Introduction Walking Tour

The word "delven" in Dutch means "to dig." The town of Delft began in 1075 when a nobleman decided to build his dream manor where a canal crossed the silted up river Gantel. A settlement became a market town with a large market square. The town was called "Delft."

Canals were vital to Delft. Flat-bottomed boats brought in products, fuel and people. In 1246 Count...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles