Meisjeshuis Building (Girls' House), Delft

Nestled along the historic Oude Delft in Delft, the Girls' House (Meisjeshuis) stands as a proudly preserved piece of Dutch heritage. Originally erected in 1769 in the graceful Louis XV style, it was designed by municipal architect Nicolaas Terburgh and built on the site of a former Holy Spirit Sister House lost in earlier centuries.

For nearly four centuries, from 1578 until the mid-20th century, the Meisjeshuis served as a girls' orphanage for half-orphaned girls of Reformed families. Initially accommodating just 18 pupils, the new building expanded its capacity to around 32. The girls received instruction in academics, religion, domestic skills, and handicrafts-preparing them for life beyond the orphanage.

Architectural details further enrich its charm-the front façade features Rococo-styled door surrounds, flanked by sculpted figures of girls crafted by Jacob Mattheus Cressant in 1769, while the interiors of the regents’ rooms retain refined Rococo stuccowork. The building is structured with a representative front and a more modest rear, connected by a narrow passage-the latter originally housing kitchens and quarters for the girls.

Following its closure as a weeshuis in 1954, the Girls' House underwent restoration and was repurposed from 2005 onwards. Today, it hosts the Erfgoedhuis Zuid-Holland in the front section and Sociëteit Het Meisjeshuis in the rear-serving as a social, cultural, and event venue while honoring its illustrious past.

A visit to this stately monument offers tourists a rich blend of architectural beauty, historical depth, and present-day cultural vibrancy-all set against the uniquely tranquil backdrop of Delft’s iconic canal.