Delft Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Delft

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 Willem II granted a city charter. In 1389 the waterways reached the river Maas and Delft had its own seaport, Delfshaven.

In 1581 Willam of Orange, also known as William the Silent, moved into the convent of St. Agatha in Delft, later called the Prinsenhof. William was the leader of Dutch resistance against Philip II of Spain. This was the time of the Eighty Years War.

Delft managed to repel the Spanish in the Battle of Delft in 1573 and in 1581 Delft became the default capital of independent Netherlands. William would pay for this independence with his life.

King Philip II offered a reward of 25,000 crowns to anyone who killed William the Silent. In 1584 one Balthazar Gerards assassinated William in the Prinsenhof. Gerards was captured and executed brutally. The Prinsenhof is now a museum. William was buried in the New Church (Nieuwe Kerk) of Delft. He is known in Netherlands as the "Father of the Fatherland".

In the 17th century, independent Delft grew into its "Golden Age." The Dutch East India Company opened in Delft in 1602 and the famous Delft Blue China made its appearance.

A generation of celebrated artists made the scene, including: Leonard Bramer, Carel Fabritus, Pieter de Hoogh, Emanuel de Witte, Jan Steen, and last but not the least, Johannes Vermeer. Reinier de Graaf and Antoni van Leeuwenhoek took the lead in scientific research.

The center of the city retains its medieval and renaissance buildings, canals and bridges. Historical sights include: The Old Church (Oude Kerk); The New Church (Nieuwe Kerk), containing the royal family crypt; the Prinsenhof; The Town Hall and the spacious Main Square; and centuries old buildings.

Come to the Old Canal where it all began. Flag down a water taxi and explore Delft, the city of art, science and independence.