Dordrecht is the oldest city in Holland. In 1220 Count William I granted Dordt its city rights, making it the first city in the county. Walk through the old town today and you will see that rich history everywhere: in the harbours, the merchants’ houses, the city gates and, of course, in the Grote Kerk, whose stubby tower has risen above the rooftops for centuries.
A city on an island
Dordrecht lies on an island, surrounded by rivers. Several major rivers meet in the waters around the city, making it one of the busiest river junctions in Europe. Dordt became an island because of a disaster: the St Elizabeth’s Flood of 1421 put large parts of the surrounding land under water. That drowned land later became the Biesbosch, now a national park full of creeks, willow woods and beavers.
Where the Netherlands began
In 1572, representatives of the towns of Holland met at Het Hof in Dordrecht for the First Free States Assembly. There they chose the side of William of Orange in the revolt against Spain. That is why Dordrecht is sometimes called the birthplace of the Netherlands. At Het Hof van Nederland you can now experience that story for yourself.
Shortly afterwards, in 1618 and 1619, the famous Synod of Dordrecht (the Synod of Dort) took place in the city. Among other things, it decided on a new translation of the Bible: the States Translation, which shaped the Dutch language for centuries.
Famous people from Dordt
- Johan and Cornelis de Witt: the De Witt brothers, statesmen of the Golden Age, were born in Dordrecht. The statue of Johan stands by the Visbrug.
- Aelbert Cuyp: painter of golden river landscapes, often with Dordrecht in the background.
- Ary Scheffer: nineteenth-century painter, with a statue on the Scheffersplein.
See all famous people from Dordt →
From golden ears of corn God created the people of Dordt; from what was left, the rest of the country
A Dordt saying
Dordt today
With more than 121,000 inhabitants, Dordrecht is a lively city with a historic centre, cosy terraces along the harbours, and museums and events that draw visitors from all over the country. And the Biesbosch is just around the corner. Hoe dichter bij Dordt, hoe mooier het wordt: the closer to Dordt, the lovelier it gets.