Delft

Delft is a city in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland. The city is between Rotterdam and The Hague.

Together with these cities, Delft is part of the Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area and the larger Randstad region.

Delft is a popular tourist spot. It has a history tied to the House of Orange-Nassau. The city is famous for its blue pottery and is the home of the painter Jan Vermeer. Delft is also home to Delft University of Technology, often called TU Delft.

Long ago, Delft was important during the Dutch Golden Age. The city is where microbiology began, thanks to scientists like Antonie van Leeuwenhoek and Martinus Beijerinck.

History

See also: Timeline of Delft

The city of Delft began near a canal called the 'Delf'. This name comes from the word delven, meaning to dig. A Count built his manor there around 1075, helping Delft grow into an important market town.

In 1246, Count Willem II gave Delft its city charter. Trade and industry grew, and in 1389, a canal was built to connect Delft to the river Maas through the port of Delfshaven. By 1400, Delft was one of the larger cities in Holland.

Delft played a key role in Dutch history. When William of Orange, known as William the Silent, moved there in 1572, Delft became a center for the fight against Spanish rule during the Eighty Years' War. After William of Orange died in 1584, he was buried in Delft's Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), starting a tradition that continues today.

In the 1600s, Delft became known for its special blue and white pottery called Delftware. Many artists and scientists lived there, including Johannes Vermeer and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.

On 12 October 1654, a big explosion happened when a store of gunpowder blew up. This destroyed much of the city centre. Many people were hurt or lost their homes, but fewer than expected because many people were away that day. The explosion changed how people thought about safety in the city.

Sights

The city center of Delft has many old buildings. The streets have canals and bridges, which makes it a popular place for visitors.

Some of the interesting sights include:

• Oude Kerk (Old Church), built long ago.
• Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), built even longer ago. It has a special vault for the Dutch royal family.
• A statue of Hugo Grotius made in 1886, near the Nieuwe Kerk.
• The Prinsenhof (Princes' Court), which is now a museum.
• City Hall on the Markt square.
• The Oostpoort (Eastern gate), built around 1400. It is the only gate left from the old city walls.
• The Gemeenlandshuis Delfland, or Huyterhuis, built in 1505. It has housed the Delfland regional water authority since 1645.
• The Vermeer Centre in the re-built Guild house of St. Luke.
• The historical "Waag" building (Weigh house).
• Windmill De Roos, a tower mill built around 1760. It was restored in 2013.
• Royal Delft, also known as De Porceleyne Fles, where you can see beautiful Delft ware.
• Science Center, which is fun for kids and adults.

Culture

Delft is famous for its special pottery called Delft pottery. This pottery looks like beautiful Chinese porcelain from the 1600s. You can see this pottery being made at places like De Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles (or Royal Delft) and De Delftse Pauw.

The city was also home to the great painter Johannes Vermeer. He used Delft’s streets and homes in his artworks. Many other famous painters also lived and worked in Delft, creating pictures of everyday life, church interiors, and the city’s squares.

Education

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is one of four technology universities in the Netherlands. It began in 1842 as a school for civil engineering. Today, it has many students.

The UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education offers courses for people from developing countries. It uses Delft’s history in water management and hydraulic engineering. Two other universities, The Hague University of Applied Sciences and Inholland University of Applied Sciences, have buildings on the TU Delft campus.

Economy

Delft has many jobs and places that help the city. One big part is education, with Delft University of Technology having many students and workers. Another important part is scientific research, with groups like the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research and UNESCO-IHE Institute for water education.

The city also gets visitors, with many people coming each year for tourism. Industry includes making special pottery called Delftware and other businesses like Exact Software. Finally, retail shops such as IKEA also help the city's economy.

Nature and recreation

East of Delft is a big nature and recreation area called the "Delftse Hout" ("Delft Wood"). It has paths for biking, horse-riding, and walking. There is also a large lake where people can swim and windsurf, small beaches, a restaurant, community gardens, a camping area, and many places for sports and fun. You can even rent bikes near the train station.

Inside the city, there is a central park and several smaller parks, such as "Nieuwe Plantage", "Agnetapark", and "Kalverbos". There is also the Botanical Garden of the TU and an arboretum in Delftse Hout.

Politics

The most recent elections for the city's government happened in March 2026.

Notable people

Delft is where many famous people were born.

During the Dutch Golden Age, many painters lived in Delft. They include Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt, Willem van der Vliet, Adriaen van de Venne, and Johannes Vermeer. They created beautiful artworks.

Other famous people from Delft are Hugo Grotius, who helped shape international law, and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, a scientist who made important discoveries with early microscopes.

Miscellaneous

Delft University of Technology students built solar-powered cars called Nuna. These cars won a big race in Australia many times. The students also worked on a fast coach project called Superbus.

Rowing teams from Delft have won many international prizes. The Formula Student Team Delft won a car race in Germany three times in a row. In 2013, another team from Delft set a world speed record with special bikes in the United States.

International relations

Twin towns

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Netherlands

Delft is twinned with:

Transport

Delft has two main train stations: Delft railway station and Delft Campus railway station. Trains stop often, connecting Delft to nearby cities like Rotterdam and The Hague.

There are also several bus routes and trams that travel between Delft and places like The Hague and Leidschendam. The city center has paid parking.