Delfshaven District Walking Tour (Self Guided), Rotterdam

Part of the old city of Rotterdam, the borough of Delfshaven – situated on the right bank of the river Nieuwe Maas, is rich in history. Prior to 1886 it had been a separate municipality which grew around the port of the city of Delft.

Delft itself was not located on a major river, so in 1389 a Voorhaven (outer harbor) to the south, along with the Aelbrechtskolk waterpass, had to be created to enable seafaring vessels to dock in and avoid heavy tolls levied by the neighboring and competing port of Rotterdam. The settlement was thence known as Delfshaven ("Port of Delft").

Over the centuries the maritime theme has brought about a number of historical associations for Delfshaven, one of which is its being the birthplace of the illustrious admiral Piet Pieterszoon Hein (Pietersen Heyn). One of the Dutch West India Company's most famous commanders, Piet Hein was born here in 1577 on the street that now bears his name – Piet Heynstraat. A Piet Heyn Monument is also found nearby, in Piet Heynsplein square.

Another historic location associated with the sea is the Oude Kerk or Pelgrimskerk (“Pilgrim Fathers' Church”), a place from where on 1 August, 1620, after a night of prayer, a group of English Puritans famously set sail for what has later become the United States of America. Not far from the Church sits De Pelgrim (“The Pilgrim”) Brewery, the very first beer-making enterprise in Rotterdam, renowned for its signature brews.

Delfshaven miraculously escaped the Luftwaffe bombing of Rotterdam in 1940; hence the number of well-preserved Medieval buildings still in place, allowing visitors to step back in time and experience the “breath of centuries” firsthand.

For a more detailed acquaintance with the historic Delfshaven, take this self-guided walking tour.