Delft › Places and landmarks
Places and landmarks in Delft
13 landmarks of Delft, and the streets, squares and waterways around them, each with its story and where to find it.
Photo: Jsamwrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Landmarks
MarktThe long market square between the town hall and the Nieuwe Kerk, one of the largest in the Netherlands.
Nieuwe KerkThe great Gothic church on the Markt, with a tower of 108 metres, where the princes of Orange lie buried.
StadhuisDelft’s Renaissance town hall at the west end of the Markt, built round a medieval stone tower.
Oude KerkThe oldest church in Delft, on the Oude Delft, with a tower that leans about two metres over the canal.
PrinsenhofThe old convent where William of Orange lived, and where he was shot in 1584. The bullet holes are still in the wall.
Oude DelftThe oldest canal of the town, which gave Delft its name, lined with merchants’ houses and the Gemeenlandshuis.
KoornmarktThe canal where the grain was traded, now lined with cafés, houseboats and terraces by the water.
OostpoortThe last of Delft’s town gates, with two slim towers mirrored in the water.
WaagThe weigh house by the Markt, where goods were weighed for the town’s taxes.
Also part of Delft
Johannes VermeerThe painter of the Girl with a Pearl Earring and the View of Delft, who was born, worked and buried in Delft.
Delfts blauwThe blue and white pottery that made Delft famous, first made to stand in for Chinese porcelain.
Delftse DonderslagThe gunpowder explosion of 12 October 1654, which flattened a quarter of the town.
Hugo de GrootThe lawyer born in Delft who wrote the first great book on the law between nations, and escaped from prison in a book chest.
Streets, squares and waterways
The places that hold the centre of Delft together. Point at one to find it on the map.
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1
Markt square
The long market square between the town hall and the Nieuwe Kerk.
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2
Nieuwe Kerk building
The Gothic church on the Markt, with the tombs of the House of Orange.
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3
Stadhuis building
Hendrick de Keyser’s town hall round a medieval tower.
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4
Waag building
The weigh house behind the town hall.
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5
Vermeer Centrum building
The centre about Vermeer on the Voldersgracht, where the painters’ guild stood.
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6
Voldersgracht waterway
The narrow canal behind the north side of the Markt.
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7
Oude Kerk building
The oldest church, with its leaning tower and Vermeer’s grave.
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8
Oude Delft waterway
The oldest canal, which gave the town its name.
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9
Prinsenhof building
The convent where William of Orange lived and was shot.
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10
Gemeenlandshuis building
The Gothic house of 1505 on the Oude Delft, with its painted coats of arms.
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11
Wijnhaven waterway
The canal behind the Waag, where the wine came in.
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12
Koornmarkt waterway
The grain market canal, lined with terraces.
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13
Beestenmarkt square
The square of the old cattle market, now full of cafés under the trees.
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14
Oostpoort gate
The last town gate, with its two slim towers.
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15
Paardenmarkt square
The open square where the gunpowder store stood until 1654.