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Historic neighborhood · Roterdã, Holanda Meridional
Historisch Delfshaven
Delft's old port, now part of Roterdã, which escaped the 1940 bombing. 17th- and 18th-century houses, canals, a windmill and the church from which the Pilgrims set off for America in 1620.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Historisch Delfshaven
Delfshaven was founded in 1389, when the city of Delft, which was not on a large river, dug a canal to the Meuse to receive ocean-going ships. Around the lock a small port grew, which only became part of Roterdã in 1886. Having been outside the area hit in 1940, the historic centre preserved its brick houses, bridges and canals from earlier centuries.
On 1 August 1620, the Pilgrim Fathers, a group of English Puritans living in Leiden, left Delfshaven on the ship Speedwell bound for England and, from there, for America. The church on the canal, the Oude Kerk, also came to be called Pelgrimvaderskerk, the Pilgrim Fathers' church.
The port lived from fishing, shipbuilding and the distillation of genever, the Dutch juniper spirit. The Dutch East India Company had warehouses here, and Piet Hein, admiral of the West India Company, was born in the neighbourhood.
Today the walk is done on foot along the Voorhaven and Achterhaven, the two arms of the canal, with cafés, a brewery, antique shops and the mill De Distilleerketel, rebuilt on the site of an old malt mill.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
1 to 2 hours to walk and stop at a café.
Best time
Late afternoon, when the light hits the façades and the cafés by the canal fill up. Sunday morning is the quietest time.
How to get there
Metro to Delfshaven station and a 5-minute walk, or tram to the Delfshaven stop. From the Euromast it’s about a 20-minute walk along the riverbank.
Tip
Combine it with the Euromast and Het Park in the same visit, as they’re on the same side of town. Look at the plaques on the façades: several tell the story of each house.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Historisch Delfshaven
Why does Delfshaven look so different from the center?
The neighborhood was outside the area destroyed by the 1940 bombing and retained the old houses, while the center was rebuilt with modern architecture.
What do the Pilgrims have to do with Delfshaven?
In 1620 they boarded here on the ship Speedwell, bound for America. The neighborhood church became known as the church of the Pilgrim Fathers.
How do you get to Delfshaven?
By metro to Delfshaven station or by tram. The walk from the station to the canals takes about 5 minutes.