Rotterdam Old Town (Delfshaven) Walking Tour (Self Guided), Rotterdam

Part of old Rotterdam, the historic borough of Delfshaven lies on the right bank of the Nieuwe Maas River and has a long maritime past. Until 1886, it was actually a separate municipality, having grown up around the port that served the nearby city of Delft.

Delft itself was not situated on a major river, so in 1389, an outer harbor, known locally as Voorhaven, was created to the south, together with the Aelbrechtskolk waterway. This gave seagoing ships access to Delft, while also allowing merchants to avoid the heavy tolls charged by the neighboring and competing port of Rotterdam. The settlement developed around the harbor became known as Delfshaven, which means simply “Port of Delft.”

Over the centuries, the sea has shaped much of Delfshaven’s history. One of its most famous sons was the Dutch admiral Piet Pieterszoon Heyn. A celebrated commander of the Dutch West India Company, he was born in the area in 1577, on the street now bearing his name, Piet Heynstraat. Nearby, on Piet Heyn Square, you can also find his monument.

Another important local maritime landmark is the Old Church, better known as the Pilgrim Fathers’ Church. On August 1, 1620, after spending the night in prayer, a group of English Puritans left from here by ship on a journey that would eventually take them to North America. Not far from this church is De Pelgrim, a local brewery closely associated with the English pilgrims and today known for its traditional beers.

Delfshaven was fortunate to escape much of the destruction caused by the bombing of Rotterdam in the 1940s. Luckily, many of its historic buildings have survived, giving the neighborhood a very different atmosphere from much of modern Rotterdam.

To discover more of historic Delfshaven and its maritime past, continue with this self-guided walking tour.