Historic Market Square (Markt)

The Markt is the central square of Delft, and it is one of the best-known public spaces in the Netherlands. It is a long rectangle with the Stadhuis, the town hall, at one end and the Nieuwe Kerk, the New Church, at the other, and the two buildings face each other across the cobblestones. Around the square are gabled houses, cafes, restaurants and shops, and in summer the terraces fill with people. A market is held here on Thursdays, continuing a tradition that goes back centuries.

The Nieuwe Kerk is the main landmark. Despite its name, the church was begun in the fourteenth century, and its tall tower, rising more than a hundred metres, dominates the skyline. The tower can be climbed for a view across the town and the surrounding countryside. The church is also the burial place of the Dutch royal family, and the tomb of William of Orange, called the Silent, who was assassinated in Delft in 1584, is a monumental marble memorial inside. William was the leader of the Dutch revolt against Spain, and his story is central to the founding of the country.

The Stadhuis was rebuilt in the early seventeenth century by the architect Hendrick de Keyser, in a Dutch Renaissance style, after a fire. Its facade features a stone staircase, sculptures and decorative gables, and part of its tower is much older, a medieval survival. The contrast between the elaborate town hall and the soaring church makes the square very photogenic.

Delft is famous for other things as well. The painter Johannes Vermeer was born here in 1632 and lived all his life in the town, and there is a museum devoted to him. The town is also known for Delft blue pottery, the blue and white ceramics that developed in the seventeenth century as a local imitation of Chinese porcelain. In 1654 a gunpowder explosion destroyed part of the town, and the city rebuilt, which shaped some of what you see today.

A visit to the Markt is easy and free. Take a boat on the canals, wander through the side streets, and sit on a terrace. Early morning and evening are the quietest times, and the light on the buildings is at its best. The Historic Market Square has a Middle Ages feel despite its much later facades. The City Hall and the church are open to visitors at set times, and Delft’s cafes along the Markt are ideal for a break. Museum Royal Delft, at the pottery where Delft blue is still painted by hand, is a short walk away.