Delft: City of Orange

Museum Prinsenhof Delft
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Start your voyage of discovery at Museum Prinsenhof Delft. The museum was the scene of one of the most important events in Dutch history: the assassination of William the Silent. William moved into the Saint Agatha monastry in 1572, which was then renamed  Prinsenhof, and which eventually became the Museum Prinsenhof Delft. On 10 July 1584, he was shot by Balthasar Gerards as he climbed the stairs to his office. You can still see the bullet holes in the wall of the museum....

Museum Prinsenhof Delft allows you to experience the history of the Netherlands. Experimenting and innovation have always played an important part in the history of Delft. Many Delft artists and scientists have been at the forefront of new developments and made a significant contribution to the development of science and culture in the Netherlands. In Museum Prinsenhof Delft you can learn about such famous residents of Delft as Johannes Vermeer, Michiel van Mierevelt, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek and Hugo de Groot. See for yourself how centuries of trade and commerce, engineering, art, and science have brought affluence to the Netherlands and changed the world.

MEDIAEVAL PRISON 'HET STEEN'
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If you committed a crime in Delft back in the Middle Ages, you would probably be locked up in this mediaeval prison. And you would be lucky to get out alive. Back in those days, the prisoners were often beaten and tortured. The man who assassinated William the Silent – Balthasar Gerards – was also imprisoned here. ‘Het Steen’ prison is still open to the public during the Dutch school holidays. You can find more information about this at the VVV Delft (located at the Kerkstraat 3).

The New Church
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From the Old Church you can walk to the impressive New Church in approx. five minutes. The church is the final resting-place of William the Silent. Since William, almost every member of the Dutch Royal Family has been buried in the New Church. The Royal crypts are not open to the public, so there is an air of mystery about what they actually look like. In addition to the impressive mausoleum of William the Silent, there is a permanent exhibition about the special history of the church.

TIP! Would you like to admire the best view of Delft? Then climb the tower of the church with 376 steps.