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Delft

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Delft is a historic city located in the province of South Holland, Netherlands.

Delft centre
Delft centre

It sits within the Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area and the Randstad region. Geographically, it lies between the cities of Rotterdam to the southeast and The Hague to the northwest.

Antique map of Delft, Netherlands by Blaeu J. 1649
Antique map of Delft, Netherlands by Blaeu J. 1649

The city is a major tourist destination known for its art, science, and unique pottery. It also hosts the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft).

TU Delft buildings
TU Delft buildings

The city's origins are tied to the water. It grew beside a canal named the 'Delf'. This name comes from the Dutch word 'delven', which means to dig or delve.

Delft - Visbrug
Delft - Visbrug

Around 1075, a Count established a manor at an elevated spot where this canal crossed a creek. This location helped Delft become an important market town. The central market square remains a large feature of the city today.

Delft Central Market Square
Delft Central Market Square

On 15 April 1246, Count Willem II granted Delft its official city charter.

Delft played a massive role during the Dutch Golden Age. In 1400, the population was 6,500 people. This made it the third largest city in Holland, after Dordrecht and Haarlem. By 1560, Delft had about 14,000 inhabitants. The city became a center for trade and industry. In 1389, the Delfshavensche Schie canal connected Delft to the river Maas. This allowed the port of Delfshaven to connect the city to the sea. The city also became famous for printing and tapestry manufacturing.

The city has deep ties to the House of Orange-Nassau. In 1572, William of Orange took up residence in the Prinsenhof. He was the leader of the Dutch resistance during the Eighty Years' War. After 1581, Delft became the de facto capital of the Dutch Republic. This was because it held the seat of the Stadtholder. When William was shot in 1584, he was buried in the Nieuwe Kerk.

Nieuwe-Kerk-vanuit-het-westen
Nieuwe-Kerk-vanuit-het-westen

This started a tradition of burying the royal family in Delft that continues today.

A major disaster occurred on 12 October 1654, known as the Delft Thunderclap.

Gem-Delft-OpenTopo1654Explosion
Gem-Delft-OpenTopo1654Explosion

A gunpowder magazine in the Doelenkwartier district exploded. The exact cause is unknown, but a spark from a light may have caused it. The blast leveled much of the central city and left a deep crater.

The explosion was heard as far away as the island of Texel. It killed at least 54 people, though some accounts suggest several hundred died. The artist Carel Fabritius was among those killed in the blast.

After the explosion, the city moved its gunpowder storage for safety. A new building called the Kruithuis was built outside the city walls.

Kruithuis
Kruithuis

The area where the explosion happened became the Paardenmarkt, or horse market.

The event also caused religious debate. Some people viewed the explosion as divine punishment for sins. Others, like Minister Petrus de Witte, saw it as a sign to live more pious lives.

Delft is world-famous for its blue and white pottery called Delftware.

Delft plate faience Famille Rose 1760 1780
Delft plate faience Famille Rose 1760 1780

This style was inspired by Chinese porcelain imported by the Dutch East India Company. This company opened an office in Delft in 1602. Today, you can still see this craft at Royal Delft. The city is also a landmark for science. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek was a founding father of microbiology.

Later, Martinus Beijerinck conducted vital research on viruses at the university.

Martinus Willem Beijerinck
Martinus Willem Beijerinck

These scientific legacies make Delft a vital part of global history.

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🖼️ Images & Media (37)
File:Gem-Delft-OpenTopo1654Explosion.png
Gem-Delft-OpenTopo1654Explosion.png
File:Cornelis Springer, The Gemeenlandshuis and the Old Church, Delft, Summer (1877).jpg
Cornelis Springer, The Gemeenlandshuis...
File:Antique map of Delft, Netherlands by Blaeu J. 1649.jpg
Antique map of Delft, Netherlands by...
File:Delftsedonderslag.jpg
Delftsedonderslag.jpg
File:Kruithuis.jpg
Kruithuis.jpg
File:View of Delft, by Johannes Vermeer.jpg
View of Delft, by Johannes Vermeer.jpg
File:Pieter Wouwerman - Gezicht op de Paardenmarkt te Delft.jpg
Pieter Wouwerman - Gezicht op de...
File:Delft plate faience Famille Rose 1760 1780.jpg
Delft plate faience Famille Rose 1760 1780.jpg
File:Demolition Bacinol 2009.JPG
Demolition Bacinol 2009.JPG
File:TU Delft buildings.jpg
TU Delft buildings.jpg
File:Delft Plantagegeer.JPG
Delft Plantagegeer.JPG
File:Zelfportret van de schilder met zijn gezin Rijksmuseum SK-A-1460.jpg
Zelfportret van de schilder met zijn...

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