A Vacation in Delft

A vacation in Delft provides a great chance for visitors to meet a destination that is full of interesting historical places as well as to travel to other interesting and exciting cities due to the fact that it is located nearby other unique spots such as, for example, Amsterdam, The Hague, and Rotterdam. Delft, with a population of about 94,000 inhabitants, is not only a city but also a municipality located in the region known as South Holland.

According to historians, the origin of Delft as a city dates from the 12th century. One of the first most important moments in the history of Delft took place around the year 1572. Around that year, the man who directed the struggle against the Spanish, William of Orange, known as Williem de Zwijger or William the Silent built his main residence in this city, moment in which this destination started becoming very popular and successful.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Delft was recognized as one of the most important and popular cities in Holland. Despite of this, some tragic moments took place during that period, such as for example, when William the Silent was killed in 1584, or when around 100 city inhabitants were killed and the city seriously damaged in what is known as the Delft Explosion around the year 1655.

Tourists who travel to Delft for a vacation and count with enough spare time could meet an important number of appealing antique buildings. Among these buildings, visitors could meet, for example, the New Church or Nieuwe Kerk, a religious construction built between the 14th and the 15th century and which houses the burial vault of the Dutch Royal family. Other interesting constructions tourists should not miss in this destination include, for example, is the Old church or Oude Kerk, and the Eastern gate or Oostpoort built during the 15th century.

Besides its historical constructions, Delft is also famous by its pottery ceramic products. Delft pottery ceramic products were especially famous during the 17th century, being in the same category as the imported Chinese porcelain was. Other interesting fact to know about Delft is that this was the birth town of the painter Johannes Vermeer, who was inspired by the city's landscapes for many of his art works. Besides Johannes Vermeer, several other famous people were born at this city, such as, for example, the astronomer Martin van den Hove, the scientist Anton van Leeuwenhoek, and the lawyer Hugo Grotius, among others.

Other interesting spot visitors should not miss in the city of Delft is the Delft Forest, locally known as the Delftse Hout. The Delft Forest is a recreational area in which tourists can breathe fresh air and even swim at the Lake Grote Plas while being surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes. The lake is surrounded by a walking path which provides an excellent chance to enjoy the beautiful combination of the forests and the lake as well as it is ideal for sitting and relaxing for a while after a long walk through the forested area.