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Delft

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    • TravelerFrance 2022
      Day 59

      Early morning last look at Delft

      November 11, 2022 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
      2

      After a good nights sleep we were up pretty early. We had a delicious breakfast at the Hotel - another big tick as the options for breakfast were huge and it was all fantastic. As we had some time we thought we would do a little bit more of a wander around the town. I had discovered a few squares and areas while looking at the Christmas lights, so we returned to some of these areas and discovered some others. Next time I would like to spend at least 3 days in Delft and see it all.

      After checking out of the hotel we headed to the train station, a whopping 5 minute walk! On arrival we discover there has been an accident car vs train and so there is pandemonium as so many trains have been cancelled or delayed. Luckily Brigitte went to speak to someone who advised us to get to Rotterdam and then jump on a train to Brussels MIDI which is what we did. Our tickets seemed to work so all good.

      There was a couple sitting in front of me who was talking about getting off the train in Antwerp to see the station, but because of the accident trains were being diverted around Antwerp Centraal. I told them that this was the case and then Donny and I chatted for the next 2.5 hours whilst his husband slept. He was a lovely guy from Florida and he and his hubby are hoping to buy a place in Valencia, Spain and retire in the next 4-5 years. They were just doing a side trip to Brugge before heading back to Amsterdam and then flying to Valencia to spend a couple of weeks there to experience life in “the hood”.

      We exchanged email details so maybe one day we will catch up somewhere, I suspect that they like to have a good time.

      We arrived in MIDI a little after 1.15pm and caught the train out to Ottiginies where Stef picked us up. We had a late lunch of cheese sandwiches which was great. We decided to go out to the local brasserie in Wavre where we both had steak - my first one this trip and it was fantastic and we both had an early night as we were exhausted after our week of travelling.      Read more

    • TravelerExploring Europe 2023
      Day 26

      Oude Kerk (Old Church), Delft

      April 19 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

      Thankfully the sun was shining this morning so we hit the streets to see as much as we can before the rain starts again. First up this morning we visited the Oude Kerk, the Old Church, founded in 1246 and located in the old city center of Delft. Nicknamed Oude Jan (Old John) and Scheve Jan (Skewed John), it is a Gothic Protestant church most famous for its seventy-five meter high leaning tower. Some of the lesser known facts about the church incude that the church is actually the oldest church in Delft. In 1654, the church windows were destroyed when a nearby gunpowder depot exploded in the city.

      The thing we love with these old churches is how unique they all are, the history, and amazing architecture, the ancient artworks, and so much more. What is striking about this church is how unadorned the walls and ceilings are, with its plain white walls and wooden ceiling giving the church an expansive and empty feel. The floor is scattered with old tomb markings. It actually feels quite serene in its “plainness”. Against the plain walls the twenty-seven stained glass windows and three pipe organs are striking. The church organs date back to the years 1857 (main organ), 1873 (north aisle) and 1770 (choir). One of the two bells, the Trinitas bell, weighs almost nine-thousand kilograms and has a diameter of just over two meters, and is the largest and oldest tolling bell in the Netherlands.

      Due to its potentially damaging vibrations, the bell is only rung on rare occasions. Historically, the bell has sounded to announce disasters.
      Approximately four-hundred people are entombed in the Oude Kerk. Among them are the famous painter, Johannes Vermeer, and the inventor of the microscope, Anthony van Leeuwenhoek.

      What is unique here is how the city of Delft displays the history of this church, allowing tourists to learn about the history in an interesting and engaging way. It was a great start to our first full day in Delft.      Read more

    • TravelerExploring Europe 2023
      Day 25

      Delft, Netherlands

      April 18 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

      Today’s destination is Delft, a canal-ringed city in the western Netherlands, known as the manufacturing base for Delftware, hand-painted blue-and-white pottery. In its old town, the medieval Oude Kerk is the burial site of native son and Dutch Master painter Johannes Vermeer. Once the seat of the royal House of Orange, the 15th-century Nieuwe Kerk houses the family's tombs and overlooks Delft's lively market square.

      After our time in Amsterdam, Delft is delightfully small, pretty and charming. First stop while we waited to check in was to enjoy a very delicious lunch in one of the many enticing restaurants in town. I had a mouth watering bagel with brie, pumpkin cream and watercress and Brad tried the crab croquettes which were served on slabs of brown bread. A nice start to our stay here.

      Our home for the next three nights is an apartment above a restaurant in a 16th century building. It is one of the nicest apartments we have stayed in so far, even though it did feel funny having a key for the restaurant as that was our front door. While the stairs were a bit steep, the view from our apartment is amazing. We are going to enjoy our time here.      Read more

    • Diane and DarrylAmsterdam and Italy
      Day 3

      A Day in Delft

      April 2 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 50 °F

      Sunshine today! This was a good day to get out of town to visit Delft, about an hour south of Amsterdam by train. We started with a self-guided tour of the Royal Delft factory, one of the last remaining in Delft and nearly 400 years old.

      “Delft Blue” is decorated with cobalt oxide, which paints on as black but oxidizes to blue upon firing. Becoming a master painter at Royal Delft involves an eight year training process.

      The town of Delft, a university town, is quaint and lively. Of course there are canals, and plenty of outdoor dining spaces (sporting much-appreciated blankets draped over the chairs!).

      We even got to see our first Dutch windmill. Although it was closed on Sunday, it is a working grain/flour mill that dates back to the late 1600s (although it has been rebuilt over the years).      Read more

    • TravelerExploring Europe 2023
      Day 26

      Beestenmarkt, Delft

      April 19 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

      The church itself is situated in the main square in Delft, Markt. At the opposite end of the church is the stunning City Hall. This building is breathtaking, as everywhere you looked there was something more to see and admire, another angle to photograph, another feature to be impressed by. With the church at one end and City Hall at the other, it is easy to see why this is the main square. There was so much to look at.

      Brad needed a breather after his strenuous climb so we made our way to the nearby Beestenmarkt, a beautiful square filled with bars and restaurants, and the perfect place to stop and enjoy our surroundings. It was so enjoyable being sat in the sunshine enjoying an antipasto platter with a local wine for me and beer for Brad. This is what we love about travelling. The down time when we can sit back and people watch and just enjoy our surroundings. It has been a bit hard to do that too much so far on this trip due to the cold weather but hopefully as it gets warmer we will have more and more of these days.      Read more

    • TravelerExploring Europe 2023
      Day 26

      Maria van Jessekerk, Delft

      April 19 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

      We managed to visit one more church before calling it a day (of course we did). The Maria van Jessekerk is the inner city church of the Ursula parish and has the longest history. Where the priestly choir is now, there was already a Roman Catholic church in 1733. The church was designed by Everard Margry, pupil of the well-known architect Pierre Cuypers and Margry has paid a lot of attention to details. For example, the left tower resembles that of the New Church, while the design for the right tower is derived from that of the Oude Kerk.

      Inside this church is very different to the old and the new church we visited earlier today. The walls are covered with beautiful coloured murals, the stained glass windows sparkle from all sides, the ancient pulpit and altarpiece, icons and the Maarschalkerweerd organ are so detailed and interesting. It is a rich tapestry of light and colour and we were so glad we popped in to check it out.

      We have spent a wonderful day exploring Delft and its beautiful laneways and canals but we’re happy to call it a day as the wind picked up and the weather turned colder.      Read more

    • The Netherlands & The Baltic
      Day 5

      Delft

      May 4 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

      We enjoyed a perfect sunny day in Delft. It's a small Dutch city with lots of charm. In addition to being the home of the Dutch master Vermeer, it's also the home of Royal Delft Blue pottery. It was a memorable day filled with beautiful sites and delicious food.Read more

    • TravelerExploring Europe 2023
      Day 27

      Delightful Delft

      April 20 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

      We spent the afternoon enjoying the laneways and alleyways of Delft, with their interesting buildings, lovely canals and beautiful spaces, cafes and restaurants. Delft is such a pretty town and has definitely won us over.

      We went to a cafe next door to where we are staying for a late lunch and a couple of drinks. It was such a cool cafe with such a relaxing feel. It was a nice place to relax for the afternoon and a great way to end our stay in Delft.      Read more

    • TravelerExploring Europe 2023
      Day 26

      Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), Delft

      April 19 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

      Next stop for the day was Nieuwe Kerk, the new church, which is still a very old church. Formally the Chirch of Saint Ursula, this 14th century church is the burial place of the princes of Orange. In 1584 William the Silent was entombed here in a mausoleum where the members of the House of Orange-Nassau have since been entombed. The latest royals to be buried in the Royal Crypt were Queen Juliana and her husband Prince Bernhard in 2004.

      The church itself is an elaborately designed architecture with twenty-two columns which surround the marble tomb of William of Orange. Legend has it that the small statue of a dog at the prince's feet starved to death following the tragic death of its owner, the prince. All around the church are memorabilia from the Dutch Royal family including paintings, and stained glass windows. The painted wooden ceiling over the marble tomb is simple yet eye-catching as once again the walls of this church are unadorned except for art work and stained glass windows. There is such a strong feeling in the simplicity of this space.

      Once again the history and meaning behind the stained glass windows, the tombs, sculptures and art work is clearly explained and we learnt a lot about the history of the royal family.

      Part of our admission ticket was the option to climb the 380 spiral worn wooden steps of the church tower. With my phobia of stairs that aren’t stable, I had to give it a miss but Brad made the climb up. Even he said it was a bit confronting. Thankfully he managed to grab some photos of the amazing view over the town. The church tower is the second highest in the Netherlands and Brad climbed a long way up. He was happy to get back to solid ground.      Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Delft, Делфт, Ντελφτ, דלפט, デルフト市, 代尔夫特

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