Delft Old Town

Delft's historic centre in South Holland is one of the best-preserved medieval Dutch cities, largely unchanged in its canal-lined street pattern since the Golden Age when the town was the residence of the House of Orange-Nassau and a centre of porcelain production. The Markt, one of the largest medieval town squares in the Netherlands, is flanked by the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church, completed 1496) and the Renaissance Stadhuis (town hall). The Nieuwe Kerk houses the royal mausoleum of the House of Orange-Nassau, including the tomb of William of Orange, and a tower that can be climbed for panoramic views over the city's gabled rooftops and canals. The older Oude Kerk, built from the 13th century onward, leans noticeably to one side due to unstable ground and contains the grave of painter Johannes Vermeer, who was born in Delft in 1632. The Royal Delft factory (Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles) at Rotterdamseweg 196, founded in 1653, remains the only authentic 17th-century Delft Blue pottery manufacturer still operating and offers museum exhibitions and live demonstrations of hand-painting. The narrow canals through the Binnenstad (inner city), lined with houseboats and small footbridges, provide the most photogenic walking routes. Delft is 15 minutes from The Hague and 12 minutes from Rotterdam by intercity train, making it a convenient addition to an itinerary covering either city. The weekly Thursday market fills the Markt from morning until mid-afternoon.