Dordrecht (), historically known in English as Dordt (still colloquially used in Dutch, ) or Dort, is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the Western

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

, located in the

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

South Holland South Holland ( ) is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.8 million as of January 2023 and a population density of about , making it the country's most populous province and one of the world's most densely populated areas. ...

. It is the province's fifth-largest city after

Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...

The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...

Leiden Leiden ( ; ; in English language, English and Archaism, archaic Dutch language, Dutch also Leyden) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Nethe ...

, and

Zoetermeer Zoetermeer () is a city in the Western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. A small village until the late 1960s, it had 6,392 inhabitants in 1950. By 2023 this had grown to 126.998 ...

, with a population of . The municipality covers the entire Dordrecht Island, also often called ''Het Eiland van Dordt'' ("the Island of Dordt"), bordered by the rivers

Oude Maas The Oude Maas (; ) is a distributary of the river Rhine, and a former distributary of the river Maas, in the Dutch province of South Holland. It begins at the city of Dordrecht where the Beneden Merwede river splits into the Noord and the O ...

Beneden Merwede The Beneden Merwede (; "Lower Merwede") is a stretch of river in the Netherlands, mainly fed by the river Rhine. It starts as the continuation of the Boven Merwede river, Boven Merwede after the branching-off of the Nieuwe Merwede ship canal. It f ...

Nieuwe Merwede The Nieuwe Merwede (; "New Merwede") is a Dutch canal, mainly fed by the river Rhine, that was constructed in 1870 to form a branch in the Rhine–Meuse delta. It was dug along the general trajectories of a number of minor Biesbosch creeks to ...

Hollands Diep The Hollands Diep ( pre-1947 spelling: Hollandsch Diep) is a river in the Netherlands, and an estuary of the Rhine and Meuse rivers. Through the Scheldt-Rhine Canal it connects to the Scheldt river and Antwerp. The Bergse Maas river and the N ...

, and

Dordtsche Kil The Dordtse Kil ( pre-1947 spelling: Dordtsche Kil) is a short river in South Holland in the Netherlands. The river is tidal and forms the connection between the Oude Maas river and the Hollands Diep. The river is for most part artificial in orig ...

. Dordrecht is the largest and most important city in the

Drechtsteden The Drechtsteden (; Dutch for "Drecht cities") are a number of towns and cities bordering each other in the delta area of the rivers Oude Maas, Noord, and Beneden-Merwede in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. These cooperate in the ''Gem ...

and is also part of the

Randstad The Randstad (; "Rim City" or "Edge City") is a roughly crescent- or Circular arc, arc-shaped conurbation in the Netherlands, that includes almost half the country's population. With a central-western location, it connects and comprises the Net ...

, the main

conurbation A conurbation is a region consisting of a number of metropolises, cities, large towns, and other urban areas which, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban or industrially developed area. In most ...

in the Netherlands. Dordrecht is the oldest city in

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...

and has a rich history and culture.

Etymology

The name Dordrecht comes from ''Thuredriht'' (circa 1120), ''Thuredrecht'' (circa 1200). The name seems to mean 'thoroughfare'; a ship-canal or river through which ships were pulled by rope from one river to another, as here between the Dubbel and the Merwede. Earlier etymologists had assumed that the 'drecht' suffix came from Latin 'trajectum', a ford, but this was rejected in 1996. The Drecht is now supposed to have been derived from '', which means to pull, tow or drag. Inhabitants of Dordrecht are ''Dordtenaren'' (singular: ''Dordtenaar''). Dordrecht is informally called ''Dordt'' by its inhabitants. In earlier centuries, Dordrecht was a major trading port and was called Dort in English.

History

Early history

The city was formed along the

Thure river Thure is a masculine given name. Notable people with the surname include: Academics and scientists * (1851–1913), Swedish psychiatrist * (1895–1989), Swedish agronomist * (1899–1976), Swedish dentist * Thure E. Cerling (born 1949), A ...

, in the midst of peat marshes. This river was a branch of the river Dubbel, which is part of the massive

Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta The Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta is a river delta in the Netherlands formed by the confluence of the Rhine, the Meuse () and the Scheldt rivers. In some cases, the Scheldt delta is considered a separate delta to the Rhine–Meuse delta. The resu ...

complex, near the current Bagijnhof. Around 1120 reference to Dordrecht was made by a remark that count

Dirk IV of Holland A dirk is a long-bladed thrusting dagger.Chisholm, Hugh (ed.); "Dagger", ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 11th ed., Vol. VII, New York, NY: Cambridge University Press (1910), p. 729. Historically, it gained its name from the Highland dirk (Scott ...

was murdered in 1049 near "''Thuredrech''". Dordrecht was granted

city rights Town privileges or borough rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. The city law customary in Central Europe probably dates back to Italian models, which in turn were oriented towards the tradition ...

William I, Count of Holland William I (c. 1167 – 4 February 1222) was count of Holland from 1203 to 1222. He was the younger son of Floris III and Ada of Huntingdon. Early life William was born in The Hague, but raised in Scotland. He participated in the Third Cr ...

, in 1220, making it the oldest city in the present province of

. In fact,

Geertruidenberg Geertruidenberg () is a city and municipality in the province North Brabant in the south of the Netherlands. The city, named after Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, received city rights in 1213 from the count of Holland. The fortified city prospered u ...

was the first city in the historical county of

to receive city rights, but this municipality currently is part of the province of

North Brabant North Brabant ( ; ), also unofficially called Brabant, Dutch Brabant or Hollandic Brabant, is a province in the south of the Netherlands. It borders the provinces of South Holland and Gelderland to the north, Limburg to the east, Zeeland to ...

. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Dordrecht developed into an important market city because of its strategic location. It traded primarily in

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

wood Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...

and

cereals A cereal is a grass cultivated for its edible grain. Cereals are the world's largest crops, and are therefore staple foods. They include rice, wheat, rye, oats, barley, millet, and maize (Corn). Edible grains from other plant families, suc ...

. Dordrecht was made even more important when it was given

staple right The staple right, also translated stacking right or storage right, both from the Dutch , was a medieval right accorded to certain ports, the staple ports. It required merchant barges or ships to unload their goods at the port and to display them f ...

in 1299. In 1253 a

Latin school The Latin school was the grammar school of 14th- to 19th-century Europe, though the latter term was much more common in England. Other terms used include Lateinschule in Germany, or later Gymnasium. Latin schools were also established in Colon ...

was founded in Dordrecht. It still exists today as the and is the oldest gymnasium in the Netherlands. From 1600 to 1615

Gerhard Johann Vossius Gerrit Janszoon Vos (March or April 1577, Heidelberg – 19 March 1649, Amsterdam), often known by his Latin name Gerardus Vossius, was a Dutch classical scholar, theologian, and polymath. Life He was the son of Johannes (Jan) Vos, a Protestant ...

was rector at this school. On 18–19 November 1421, the Saint Elisabeth's flood flooded large parts of southern Holland, causing Dordrecht to become an island. It was commonly said that over 10,000 people died in the flood, but recent research indicates that it was probably fewer than 200 people. On 29 June 1457, the city was devastated by a fire which started in Kleine Spuistraat, destroying many buildings, including the Grote Kerk.

Union of Dordrecht

In 1572, four years into the

Dutch Revolt The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt (; 1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Reformation, centralisation, exc ...

, representatives of all the cities of Holland, with the exception of

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

, as well as the

Watergeuzen ''Geuzen'' (; ; ) was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called ''Watergeuzen'' (; ; ). In the Eigh ...

, represented by

William II de la Marck William II de la Marck (Lummen, 1542 – Bishopric of Liège, 1 May 1578) (Dutch: ''Willem II van der Marck'') was the Lord of Lumey and initially admiral of the Watergeuzen, the so-called 'sea beggars' who fought in the Eighty Years' War (15 ...

, gathered in Dordrecht to hold the ''Eerste Vrije Statenvergadering'' ("First Assembly of the Free

States State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

"), also known as the ''Unie van Dordrecht'' ("Union of Dordrecht"). This secret meeting, called by the city of Dordrecht, was a rebellious act since only King Philip II or his

stadtholder In the Low Countries, a stadtholder ( ) was a steward, first appointed as a medieval official and ultimately functioning as a national leader. The ''stadtholder'' was the replacement of the duke or count of a province during the Burgundian and ...

, at that time the

Duke of Alba Duke of Alba de Tormes (), commonly known as Duke of Alba, is a title of Spanish nobility that is accompanied by the dignity of Grandee of Spain. In 1472, the title of ''Count of Alba de Tormes'', inherited by García Álvarez de Toledo, wa ...

, were allowed to call a meeting of the

States of Holland The States of Holland and West Frisia () were the representation of the two Estates (''standen'') to the court of the Count of Holland. After the United Provinces were formed — and there no longer was a count, but only his "lieutenant" (the stad ...

. During the meeting, the organization and financing of the rebellion against the Spanish occupation was discussed, Phillip II was unanimously denounced, and William of Orange was chosen as the rightful

and recognized as the official leader of the revolt. Orange, represented at the meeting by his assistant Philips of Marnix, was promised financial support of his struggle against the Spanish and at his own request,

freedom of religion Freedom of religion or religious liberty, also known as freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice ...

was declared in all of Holland. The gathering is regarded as the first important step towards the free and independent

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, commonly referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation that existed from 1579 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands ...

. Other important gatherings such as the

Union of Brussels There were two Unions of Brussels, both formed in the end of the 1570s, in the opening stages of the Eighty Years' War, the war of secession from Spanish control, which lasted from 1568 to 1648. Brussels was at that time the capital of the Spanis ...

(1577) and the

Union of Utrecht The Union of Utrecht () was an alliance based on an agreement concluded on 23 January 1579 between a number of Habsburg Netherlands, Dutch provinces and cities, to reach a joint commitment against the king, Philip II of Spain. By joining forces ...

(1579) paved the way for official independence of the

, declared in the

Act of Abjuration The Act of Abjuration (; ) is the declaration of independence by many of the provinces of the Netherlands from their allegiance to Philip II of Spain, during the Dutch Revolt. Signed on 26 July 1581, in The Hague, the Act formally confirmed a ...

in 1581. The Union of Dordrecht was held in an Augustinian monastery, nowadays simply called ''het Hof'' ("the Court"). The room in which the meeting was held is called ''de Statenzaal'' ("The Hall of States") and features a

stained glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

window in which the coats of arms of the twelve cities that were present at the meeting can be seen.

Synod of Dordrecht

From 13 November 1618 to 9 May 1619, an important

Dutch Reformed Church The Dutch Reformed Church (, , abbreviated NHK ) was the largest Christian denomination in the Netherlands from the onset of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century until 1930. It was the traditional denomination of the Dutch royal famil ...

assembly took place in Dordrecht, referred to as the

Synod of Dordrecht The Synod of Dort (also known as the Synod of Dordt or the Synod of Dordrecht) was a European transnational Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618–1619, by the Dutch Reformed Church, to settle a divisive controversy caused by the rise of Arminianis ...

. The synod attempted, and succeeded, to settle the theological differences of opinion between the central tenets of

Calvinism Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Christian, Presbyteri ...

, and a new school of thought within the

known as

Arminianism Arminianism is a movement of Protestantism initiated in the early 17th century, based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius and his historic supporters known as Remonstrants. Dutch Arminianism was origina ...

, named for its spiritual leader

Jacobus Arminius Jacobus Arminius (; Dutch language, Dutch: ''Jakob Hermanszoon'' ; 10 October 1560 – 19 October 1609) was a Dutch Reformed Christianity, Reformed minister and Christian theology, theologian during the Protestant Reformation period whose views ...

. Arminius' followers were also commonly known as

Remonstrants The Remonstrants (or the Remonstrant Brotherhood) is a Protestant movement that split from the Dutch Reformed Church in the early 17th century. The early Remonstrants supported Jacobus Arminius, and after his death, continued to maintain his or ...

, after the 1610

Five Articles of Remonstrance 5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. Humans, and many other animals, have 5 digits on their limbs. Mathematics 5 is a Fermat pri ...

which outlined their points of dissent from the church's official doctrine. They were opposed by the Contra-Remonstrants, or the Gomarists, who were led by Dutch theologian

Franciscus Gomarus Franciscus Gomarus (François Gomaer; 30 January 1563 – 11 January 1641) was a Dutch theologian, a strict Calvinist and an opponent of the teaching of Jacobus Arminius (and his followers), whose theological disputes were addressed at the Synod ...

. During the

Twelve Years' Truce The Twelve Years' Truce was a ceasefire during the Eighty Years' War between Habsburg Spain, Spain and the Dutch Republic, agreed in Antwerp on 9 April 1609 and ended on 9 April 1621. While European powers like Kingdom of France, France began tre ...

, this in essence purely theological conflict between different factions of the church had in practice spilled over into politics, dividing society along ideological lines, and threatening the existence of the young republic by repeatedly bringing it to the brink of civil war. The synod was attended by Gomarist Dutch delegates and also by delegates from Reformed churches in Germany, Switzerland, and England. Though it was originally intended that the synod would bring agreement on the doctrine of predestination among all the Reformed churches, in practice this Dutch synod was mainly concerned with problems facing the

. The opening sessions dealt with a new Dutch translation of the Bible, a catechism, and the censorship of books. The synod then called upon representatives of the Remonstrants to express their beliefs. The Remonstrants refused to accept the rules established by the synod and eventually were expelled from the church. The synod then studied the theology of the Remonstrants and declared that it was contrary to Scripture. The

Canons of Dort The Canons of Dort, or Canons of Dordrecht, formally titled ''The Decision of the Synod of Dort on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the Netherlands'', is an exposition of orthodox Reformed soteriology against Arminianism, by the Nat ...

were produced; they discussed in detail in five sections the errors of the Remonstrants that were rejected as well as the doctrines that were affirmed. The doctrines affirmed were that predestination is not conditional on belief; that Christ did not die for all; the total depravity of man; the irresistible grace of God; and the impossibility of falling from grace. These canons of Dort, along with the Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism, remain the theological basis of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. Following the synod, two hundred Remonstrant ministers were deposed from their office, of which eighty were banished. The political leaders of the Remonstrant movement were arrested and one of them beheaded on May 14, 1619. It was only after the death of Prince Maurice in 1625 that the persecution of the Remonstrants ceased.

Diminishing economic importance

During the

Eighty Years' War The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt (; 1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish Empire, Spanish government. The Origins of the Eighty Years' War, causes of the w ...

merchants from Dordrecht were involved in taking control and founding

sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...

plantations in the West Indies. At the end of the 17th century this led to a stable

sugar refining Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or do ...

industry in Dordrecht. This flourished in the 18th century, when Dordrecht had 16 sugar refineries, as opposed 120 in Amsterdam and 40 in Rotterdam. Dordrecht still has a few buildings purposely designed as a sugar refinery, e.g. the imposing

Sugar Refinery Stokholm The Sugar Refinery Stokholm is an 18th century listed building in Dordrecht, the Netherlands. It is now an office building, but was constructed as a sugar refinery. This still shows in the height and massive scale of the building. History ...

. Overall, the economic importance of Dordrecht began to wane in the 18th century, and

became the main city in the region.

The Patriots movement

From 1780 to 1787, Dordrecht was home to the

Patriots A patriot is a person with the quality of patriotism. Patriot(s) or The Patriot(s) may also refer to: Political and military groups United States * Patriot (American Revolution), those who supported the cause of independence in the American R ...

faction which intended to remove the hereditary

Stadtholder In the Low Countries, a stadtholder ( ) was a steward, first appointed as a medieval official and ultimately functioning as a national leader. The ''stadtholder'' was the replacement of the duke or count of a province during the Burgundian and ...

position held by the

House of Orange-Nassau The House of Orange-Nassau (, ), also known as the House of Orange because of the prestige of the princely title of Orange, also referred to as the Fourth House of Orange in comparison with the other noble houses that held the Principality of Or ...

. The Netherlands was after all a republic ''

de jure In law and government, ''de jure'' (; ; ) describes practices that are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. The phrase is often used in contrast with '' de facto'' ('from fa ...

''. Soon after, more cities followed and

William V William V may refer to: * William V, Duke of Aquitaine (969–1030) * William V of Montpellier (1075–1121) * William V, Marquess of Montferrat (1191) * William V, Count of Nevers (before 11751181) * William V, Duke of Jülich (1299–1361) * Will ...

fled from Holland. But his brother-in-law, King

Frederick William II of Prussia Frederick William II (; 25 September 1744 – 16 November 1797) was King of Prussia from 1786 until his death in 1797. He was also the prince-elector of Brandenburg and (through the Orange-Nassau inheritance of his grandfather) sovereign princ ...

, came to the aid of William V and on 18 September 1787, Dordrecht capitulated to Prussian troops. The Patriots were defeated and Willem V was restored in his position as Stadtholder.

In the Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815–2023)

During the

French period In Northern European historiography, the term French period (, , ) refers to the period between 1794 and 1815 during which most of Northern Europe was controlled by Republican or Napoleonic France.Eduard Rothert''Rheinland-Westfalen im Wechsel d ...

(1795–1813) Dordrecht continued to have a decent sea harbor and, for ocean-going ships, it was easier to reach than Rotterdam harbor. This changed in 1829, when the Voorne Canal was opened. Meanwhile, profits from the trade with the

Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...

probably obscured the fact that Dordrecht was losing the maritime competition with Rotterdam. The end of Dordrecht as a first rate sea harbor came about when the

Nieuwe Waterweg The Nieuwe Waterweg ("New Waterway") is a ship canal in the Netherlands from Scheur, het Scheur (a branch of the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta) west of the town of Maassluis to the North Sea at Hook of Holland: the #Maasmon, Maasmond, where the Nieu ...

became fully usable in 1883. Compared to Dordrecht, Rotterdam sent about four times as much cargo up the Rhine to Germany in 1875. In 1895 this was 30 times as much and in 1910 about 200 times. In absolute numbers cargo from Dordrecht declined by more than 50%. In the early 19th century, Dordrecht was a major center for shipbuilding. It was also a center of the Dutch timber market. As a smaller town, wages were lower than in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. It all made that many shipping lines that sailed to the East Indies for the

Netherlands Trading Society The Netherlands Trading Society ( or NHM) was a Dutch trading and financial company, established in 1824, in The Hague by King William I to promote and develop trade, shipping and agriculture. For the next 140 years the NHM developed a large int ...

(NTS) had their ships built in Dordrecht. Shipbuilders and shipping lines from Dordrecht profited disproportionally from the NTS policies. From about 1850 to 1876, the NTS gradually stopped its protection of Dutch shipping. The traditional (cane) sugar refining industry of Dordrecht would not survive the industrial revolution. However, in 1861

Dordrecht Sugar Factory ''Dordrecht Sugar Factory'' was an early Dutch beet sugar factory, built in 1861. It closed down in 1909 and has since been completely demolished. The Dutch sugar industry in the early 19th century Dordrecht had traditionally been the third Du ...

became operational as second modern

beet sugar factory A beet sugar factory, or sugar factory, is a type of production facility that produces sugar from Sugar beet, sugar beets or alternative plants to sugarcane in making refined sugar. These factories process the beets to produce White sugar, refined ...

of the Netherlands. Throughout the centuries, Dordrecht held a key position in the defense of Holland. It hosted an army division well into the 20th century. During the

mobilization Mobilization (alternatively spelled as mobilisation) is the act of assembling and readying military troops and supplies for war. The word ''mobilization'' was first used in a military context in the 1850s to describe the preparation of the ...

of August 1939, infantry and artillery were sent to Dordrecht to defend the island. When the Germans invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940, German paratroopers landed in Dordrecht. After fierce fighting they took the bridges Dordrecht-Moerdijk and Dordrecht-Zwijndrecht. Many buildings in Dordrecht were destroyed. Towards the end of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, during the winter of 1944–45, Dordrecht and its surroundings were in the middle between the opposing armies. The border between occupied and liberated regions ran along the

. Dordrecht was finally liberated by the Canadian Army. In 1970, the municipality Dubbeldam (then ca. 10,000 inhabitants) and the southern part of the municipality of

Sliedrecht Sliedrecht () is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of of which is covered by water. Sliedrecht is known for the many large dredging companies (including Boskal ...

were incorporated into Dordrecht, making Dordrecht Island one municipality.

Districts

Dordrecht is divided into 27 districts, neighbourhoods and

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

Demography

In 2021, around 19,35% of the population of Dordrecht was of non-Western origin. Between 2005 and 2008, this number has not changed. The allochthonous population consists for a large part of young people while the indigenous population has started to age. Over six thousand

Turks Turk or Turks may refer to: Communities and ethnic groups * Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation * Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Turkey * Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic lang ...

live in Dordrecht, many of whom are originally from Kayapınar. According to the Social Geographical Office of Dordrecht, the population consisted of the following ethnic groups in 2005 and 2008:

Culture

Due to its long and important role in Dutch history, Dordrecht has a rich culture. The medieval city centre is home to over 950 monuments. The city also houses seven historic churches and six museums in a relatively small area and hosts many

festivals A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...

and events every year.

Places of interest

*The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe-Kerk ('Our Dear Lady Church') or simply the Grote Kerk ('Big Church') was built between 1285 and 1470. The 65-meter tower contains a carillon with 67 bells including one weighing 9830 kilos, making it the heaviest bell in the Netherlands. *The Augustijnenkerk ('Church of the Augustins') was built around 1293 and is currently owned by the

. The church includes the Augustinian Monastery ''het Hof'' ('the Court') which was built in 1275 and was the location of the First Assembly of the Free States. *The Nieuwkerk ('New Church') or St Nicolaas Kerk was built in 1175 and is, ironically considering its name, the oldest building in Dordrecht. *The Munt van Holland ('Mint of Holland'),

mint Mint or The Mint may refer to: Plants * Lamiaceae, the mint family ** ''Mentha'', the genus of plants commonly known as "mint" Coins and collectibles * Mint (facility), a facility for manufacturing coins * Mint condition, a state of like-new ...

built in 1366. The majority of the coins used in the region of

in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

were struck here. Nowadays, the building houses a

music school A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

. *Kyck over den Dyck ('View over the Dike'), the last

windmill A windmill is a machine operated by the force of wind acting on vanes or sails to mill grain (gristmills), pump water, generate electricity, or drive other machinery. Windmills were used throughout the high medieval and early modern period ...

in Dordrecht. It was built in 1612 and used to produce

malt Malt is any cereal grain that has been made to germinate by soaking in water and then stopped from germinating further by drying with hot air, a process known as "malting". Malted grain is used to make beer, whisky, malted milk, malt vinegar, ...

that was used by Dordts beer brewers. *The

Groothoofdspoort The Groothoofdspoort is a former city gate in Dordrecht that is located at the point where three rivers meet; the Merwede, the Oude Maas, and the Noord. History The building was designed in the 14th century and was originally built with gothic d ...

('Big Head's Gate') is the original

city gate A city gate is a gate which is, or was, set within a city wall. It is a type of fortified gateway. Uses City gates were traditionally built to provide a point of controlled access to and departure from a walled city for people, vehicles, goods ...

of Dordrecht, built in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is situated at the point where the rivers the

Meuse The Meuse or Maas is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a total length of . History From 1301, the upper ...

, the

Merwede The Merwede (; etymology uncertain, possibly derived from the Old Dutch ''merwe'' or ''merowe'', a word meaning "wide water") is the name of several connected stretches of river in the Netherlands, between the cities of Woudrichem, Dordrecht and ...

, and the

Rhine The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...

meet. *Arend Maartenshof (Arend Maarten's Court), built in 1625. * Stadhuis city hall, built in 1383. *Statue of

Ary Scheffer Ary Scheffer (10 February 179515 June 1858) was a Dutch-French Romantic painter. He was known mostly for his works based on literature, with paintings based on the works of Dante, Goethe, Lord Byron and Walter Scott, Macmillan, Duncan (2023), ' ...

(1861), by Joseph Mezzara. *Statue of Johan and

Cornelis de Witt Cornelis de Witt (15 June 1623 – 20 August 1672) was a Dutch States Navy officer and statesman. During the First Stadtholderless Period, De Witt was an influential member of the Dutch States Party, and was in opposition to the House of Oran ...

(1918), by Toon Depuis. *River quais. *Harbours. *

Merchant A merchant is a person who trades in goods produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Merchants have been known for as long as humans have engaged in trade and commerce. Merchants and merchant networks operated i ...

houses.

Museums

The following museums are located in Dordrecht: * Binnenvaartmuseum, dedicated to the history of inland navigation. *

Dordrechts Museum Dordrechts Museum is an art museum in Dordrecht, Netherlands. The museum was founded in 1842 and has a collection of artists of painting and other artistic objects from the last six centuries. The permanent collection includes numerous paintings f ...

, informally called ''Schilderijenmuseum'' (the paintings museum). Every summer, its garden, known as ''de Museumtuin'' (the Museum garden), hosts the showing of several

art house An art film, arthouse film, or specialty film is an independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience. It is "intended to be a serious, artistic work, often experimental and not designed for mass appeal", "made prima ...

films that gained significant attention in the previous year. Re-opened in late 2010 after an extensive renovation. *Simon van Gijn museum, named after honorary citizen Simon van Gijn and winner of the museum prize 2004–2005, awarded by the

Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds The Cultuurfonds was founded by Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands in London in 1940 during World War II in order to buy war material for the British and Dutch Governments. It continued after the war as Stichting Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds aiming ...

. *Nationaal Landschapskundig Museum, (National Museum of

Landscaping Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including the following: # Living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly called gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal ...

) *Museum 1940–1945, also known as ''het Verzetsmuseum'' (the Resistance museum). *Het Hof, about the Dutch history *Onderwijsmuseum, dedicated to the Dutch history of education and schools.

Events and festivals

Dordrecht hosts around 20

cultural Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

and

historical History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...

events and festivals each year. The city won the title of "Best events city of the year" in 2003 and was nominated for the same title in 2004 and 2005. ''Dordt in Stoom'' (literally: Dordt in steam) is the biggest steam event in Europe during which historical steam trains, steam boats etc. can be seen in action. It is organized every other year and attracts a quarter of a million visitors. Attention is also paid to Dordrecht's

art Art is a diverse range of cultural activity centered around ''works'' utilizing creative or imaginative talents, which are expected to evoke a worthwhile experience, generally through an expression of emotional power, conceptual ideas, tec ...

and

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...

during ''Kunstrondje Dordt'' (literally: Little art circle Dordt) and ''Dordt Monumenteel'' (Dordt Monumental), which attracts around 100,000 visitors every year. Dordrecht hosts the second largest book market and the largest

Christmas market A Christmas market is a street market associated with the celebration of Christmas during the four weeks of Advent. These markets originated in Germany, but are now held in many countries. Some in the U.S. have Phono-semantic matching, adapted ...

in the Netherlands. ''Wantijfestival'' is an out-doors music festival that has been held annually in the second week of June since 1995. It takes place in the Wantij park and attracts around 35,000 people each year. Wantij park also hosts the ''Wantijconcerten'' (Wantij concerts) that are held every Monday night in July and August. Other popular music festivals held in Dordrecht are the ''World Jazz dagen'' (World Jazz days) held annually in August or September, the ''Dancetour'' or ''Boulevard of Dance'', which takes place on Kingsday, ''Big Rivers Festival'', a film, music, poetry and theatre festival held in June, and the Cello festival, held every four years in the weekend of the Ascension. Rond Uit Dordrecht organises a four-day bicycle festival in early June since 2013.

Folklore

During Carnaval, Dordrecht is called ''Ooi- en Ramsgat'' (Ewe's and Ram's hole), and its inhabitants are ''Schapenkoppen'' (Sheepheads). This name originates from an old folk story. Import of meat or cattle was taxed in the 17th century. To avoid having to pay, two men dressed up a sheep they had bought outside the city walls, attempting to disguise it as a man. The sheep was discovered because it bleated as the three men (two men and one sheep) passed through the city wall gate. There is a special monument of a man and his son trying to hold a sheep disguised as a man between them, that refers to this legend. The logo of Dordrecht's professional football club

FC Dordrecht Football Club Dordrecht, or simply FC Dordrecht () is a professional Dutch association football club based in Dordrecht, a city in the Western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. They currently compete in the Eerste Divisie, ...

includes the head of a ram and its supporters are known to sing ''Wij zijn de Dordtse schapenkoppen'' (we are the Dordtse sheep heads) during matches. There is also a cookie called ''Schapenkop'' (sheep head) which is a speciality of Dordrecht. There are many more legends about Dordrecht. One of them is about Saint Sura, a young woman who planned on building an entire church with only three coins in her purse. She was murdered because of her supposed wealth. Another legend is about the house called ''de Onbeschaamde'' (the Unembarrassed). It is about the three brothers Van Beveren who each wanted to build a house and decided to make a bet on who would dare to place the most risqué statue on their façade. One of the brothers, Abraham van Beveren, placed a naked little boy on his façade. However, the house that supposedly won has an empty façade today because, according to the story, the statue was so risqué that it was removed. A well known saying about Dordrecht is ''Hoe dichter bij Dordt, hoe rotter het wordt'' (the closer to Dordrecht, the more rotten it gets). The previous mayor Noorland added to that; ''maar ben je er eenmaal in, dan heb je het prima naar je zin'' (but once you're in it, you're perfectly content). The saying can probably be explained as follows; traffic used to go by water and whoever came close to Dordrecht was obliged, according to

, to display their merchandise for a couple of days before being allowed to sail on. This caused loss of time and caused products to become rotten. Another explanation is derived from ''

Bommel Bommel may refer to *Den Bommel, a village in the Netherlands * Zaltbommel, a municipality and a city in the Netherlands * Van Bommel, a Dutch surname *Henning Bommel Henning Bommel (born 23 February 1983) is a German professional racing cyclis ...

is rommel, bij

Tiel Tiel () is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a town in the middle of the Netherlands. The town is enclosed by the Waal (river), Waal river and the Linge river to the South and the North, and the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal to the Eas ...

is niet viel en hoe dichter bij Dordt hoe rotter het wordt'' which is supposed to be said by farmers describing the bad quality of the land close to the rivers Maas and

Waal WAAL (99.1 FM broadcasting, FM; "The Whale") is a commercial radio, commercial radio station licensed to Binghamton, New York. It airs a classic rock radio format and is owned by Townsquare Media. WAAL is the oldest FM radio station continuou ...

, only suitable for harvesting

reed Reed or Reeds may refer to: Science, technology, biology, and medicine * Reed bird (disambiguation) * Reed pen, writing implement in use since ancient times * Reed (plant), one of several tall, grass-like wetland plants of the order Poales * Re ...

Nature

The Sliedrechtse Biesbosch, east of Dordrecht, and the Dordtse Biesbosch, south of Dordrecht, together form the Hollandse Biesbosch which is a part of the national park the

Biesbosch De Biesbosch National Park is one of the largest national parks in the Netherlands and one of the last extensive areas of freshwater tidal wetlands in Northwestern Europe. The Biesbosch ('forest of sedges' or 'rushwoods') consists of a large ...

, one of the largest national parks in the Netherlands and one of the last freshwater tide areas in Europe. The Dordtse Biesbosch has several recreational areas that are used for

walking Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined as an " inverted pendulum" gait in which the body vaults o ...

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically a ...

and

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

. There are also several parks near the city, such as Merwepark and Wantijpark.

Sports

The Riwal Hoogwerkers Stadion is a football stadium and home ground of the local team

playing in the second national league.

Dordts

Dordts is a dialect of

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

traditionally spoken by the working class of Dordrecht. It is categorized under the

Hollandic Hollandic or Hollandish ( ) is the most widely spoken dialect of the Dutch language. Hollandic is among the Central Dutch dialects. Other important language varieties of spoken Low Franconian languages are Brabantian, Flemish ( East Flemish, ...

accents but also has characteristics of

Zeelandic Zeelandic (; ; ) is a group of language varieties spoken in the southwestern parts of the Netherlands. It is currently considered a Low Franconian dialect of Dutch, but there have been movements to promote the status of Zeelandic from a dial ...

and

Brabantian Brabant is a traditional geographical region (or regions) in the Low Countries of Europe. It may refer to: Place names in Europe Belgium * Province of Brabant, which in 1995 was split up into two provinces and an autonomous region: ** Flemish B ...

. Typical features of Dordts are: *Using the

diminutive A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root word to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment, and sometimes to belittle s ...

suffix In linguistics, a suffix is an affix which is placed after the stem of a word. Common examples are case endings, which indicate the grammatical case of nouns and adjectives, and verb endings, which form the conjugation of verbs. Suffixes can ca ...

''-ie'' or ''-tie'' in cases where standard Dutch uses ''-je''. (e.g. Standard Dutch: ("little apple") Dordts: ) *Words borrowed from Brabantian such as ''akkerdere'' ("lit. to knock or to fit, fig. "to get along") *The Dutch

diphthongs A diphthong ( ), also known as a gliding vowel or a vowel glide, is a combination of two adjacent vowel sounds within the same syllable. Technically, a diphthong is a vowel with two different targets: that is, the tongue (and/or other parts of ...

''ei'' and ''ui'' tend to be pronounced more like ''èè'' and ''öö''. Recently, the ''ei''-sound has started to be pronounced more like ''ai''. In the 20th century, Dordts has slowly started to disappear as more and more people have started speaking

standard Dutch Dutch ( ) is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken by about 25 million people as a first language and 5 million as a second language and is the third most spoken Germanic language. In Europe, Dutch is the nati ...

. The strongest Dordts dialect is nowadays found in the working-class neighborhoods bordering the city centre.

Other

On 14 November 1992 and again on 12 November 2011, the official arrival of the popular legendary figure

Sinterklaas Sinterklaas () or Sint-Nicolaas () is a legendary figure based on Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children. Other Dutch names for the figure include ''De Sint'' ("The Saint"), ''De Goede Sint'' ("The Good Saint") and ''De Goedheiligman'' (derive ...

was held in Dordrecht and broadcast on national television.

Economy

The current economy of Dordrecht is based on ship building, wood industry, and steel industry. The city has the sixth largest sea port in the Netherlands. One of the largest employers on Dordrecht Island is DuPont de Nemours (Nederland) B.V. It has 9 factories here with a workforce of 900 people. In development are the "Learning" and "Health" Business Parks. The Learning Park is intended to have of space for educational institutions. In the Health Park, a wide range of health services will be located, with the Dordwijk Campus of the Albert Schweitzer Hospital as focal point. Other services include a blood bank, pharmacy, and mental health clinic. Near the Health Park a new Sport Park will be built. A new large sport centre, the equivalent size of 3 soccer fields, is planned complete with gyms, skating rink, and a pool. Next to this Sport Park, a huge outdoor event terrain will be established.

Shopping

Shopping in the centre of Dordrecht is centred around the Voorstraat, the Sarisgang and the Statenplein (Staten square). The Voorstraat is long, making it the longest shopping street in the Netherlands. Markets are held every Friday and Saturday on the Statenplein and in the Sarisgang and on Tuesday in Dubbeldam.

Government and politics

Board of Mayor and Aldermen

In February 2020 the

College van Burgemeester en Wethouders In the Netherlands, the municipal executive (, oftentimes abbreviated to ; ) is the executive board of a municipality. It plays a central role in municipal politics in the Netherlands, similar to the communal college in Belgium. It consists of ...

('Board of

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

and

Aldermen An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking membe ...

') in Dordrecht consisted of the following: *Wouter Kolff, Mayor (VVD) *Piet Sleeking, alderman (Beter voor Dordt) *Peter Heijkoop, alderman (CDA) *Marco Stam, alderman (Beter voor Dordt) *Rik van der Linden, alderman (CU/SGP) *Maarten Burggraaf, alderman (VVD)

Local election

The results of the 2022 municipal election in Dordrecht were as follows.

Partner cities

Partner cities of Dordrecht are:

Public transport

Dordrecht is well connected to the Dutch railroad system, and has several international connections. There are three railway stations;

Dordrecht railway station Dordrecht is a railway station in Dordrecht, Netherlands located on the Breda–Rotterdam railway and the Elst–Dordrecht railway. The station was opened on 1 January 1872, when the railway line between Rotterdam and Antwerp was opened. On 16 J ...

, Zuid railway station and Stadspolders railway station. The train system hosts: Four trainlines *South-West direction

Roosendaal Roosendaal () is both a city and a municipality in the southern Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant. Towns/villages of the municipality * Roosendaal (population: 66,760) * Wouw (4,920) * Heerle (1,900) * Nispen (1,440) * Wouwse ...

-and further (including international to Belgium) *South-East direction

Breda Breda ( , , , ) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. ...

Eindhoven Eindhoven ( ; ) is a city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, located in the southern Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant, of which it is the largest municipality, and is also locat ...

*North-West direction

*East direction

Gorinchem Gorinchem ( ), pronunciation respelling, also spelled Gorkum, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. It had a population of in . The munici ...

Geldermalsen Geldermalsen () is a town and former Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. Town of Geldermalsen The town centre of Geldermalsen contains a two-aisled Got ...

The four operating trainlines serve three railway stations within the city boundaries (Dordrecht, Dordrecht Zuid, Dordrecht Stadspolders) Main connections *Frequent services within the Netherlands: **Intercity line to

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Amsterdam Airport Schiphol , known informally as Schiphol Airport (, ), is the main international airport of the Netherlands, and is one of the major hubs for the SkyTeam airline alliance. It is located southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipal ...

and

(north-west) **Intercity line to

and on to

Vlissingen Vlissingen (; ) is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the island of Walcheren. With its strategic location between the Scheldt river and the North Sea, Vlissingen has been an importan ...

(south west) **Intercity line to

Tilburg Tilburg () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands, in the southern Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. With a population of 22 ...

Helmond Helmond (; called ''Hèllemond'' in the local dialect) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Metropoolregio Eindhoven of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of ...

and

Venlo Venlo () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in southeastern Netherlands, close to the border with Germany. It is situated in the province of Limburg (Netherlands), ...

(south east) **Several semi-fast services and local trains originate or call at Dordrecht. *Detailed information available from the site of the

Nederlandse Spoorwegen (, , NS ) is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands. It is a Dutch state-owned company founded in 1938. The rail infrastructure is maintained by network manager ProRail, which was split off from NS in 2003. Freight operato ...

(Dutch Railways

*

Qbuzz Qbuzz is a public transport company in the Netherlands that operates services in Friesland, South Holland, Utrecht, Drenthe and Groningen. Founded in 2008, it was a subsidiary of Nederlandse Spoorwegen from 2013 until 2017. It is currently ow ...

, the city bus company of Dordrecht, also serving

Alblasserwaard The Alblasserwaard () is a polder in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is mainly known for the windmills of Kinderdijk, located near the village of Kinderdijk in the polder's northwestern part. History The first human inhabitant ...

and

Vijfheerenlanden Vijfheerenlanden (; ), is a municipality in the province of Utrecht in the Netherlands. The municipality was created on 1 January 2019 through the merger of the former municipalities of Vianen (Utrecht), Leerdam and Zederik (both South Holland). ...

, and also operating the train to

and

. and

Arriva Arriva Ltd. is a British multinational public transport company headquartered in Sunderland, England. The company was originally established on 24 October 1938 as T Cowie Ltd. Initially focused on the sale of motorcycles, it relaunched shortl ...

is part of the waterbus *Waterbus: **line 20:

Erasmusbrug –

Krimpen aan den IJssel Krimpen aan den IJssel () is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of in , and covers an area of of which is water. History Krimpen is first mentioned in a docum ...

Stormpolder –

Ridderkerk Ridderkerk () is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of in and covers an area of of which is covered by water. The municipality of Ridderkerk also includes th ...

De Schans –

Alblasserdam Alblasserdam () is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It covers an area of , of which is water, and has a population of as of . Alblasserdam is officially a part of the Drechtsteden region. A p ...

Kade –

Hendrik Ido Ambacht Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht () is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands. It is located on the island of IJsselmonde, and borders with Zwijndrecht, Ridderkerk, and the Noord River (with Alblasserdam and Papendrecht on the other side). T ...

Noordeinde -

Papendrecht Papendrecht () is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, at the crossing of the River Beneden Merwede and the Noord River. The municipality had a population of in and covers an area of of which is ...

Westeind - Dordrecht Merwekade **line 21: Dordrecht Hooikade – Zwijndrecht Veerplein **line 22: Dordrecht Merwekade –

Veerdam **line 23: Dordrecht Merwekade – Papendrecht Oosteind – Hollandse

–

Middeldiep **line 24: Dordrecht Merwekade – Zwijndrecht Veerplein

Notable people

:''See also

People from Dordrecht The term "the people" refers to the public or common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. In contrast, a ...

Jacob Cats by Michiel Jansz van Mierevelt

The arts

* Hendrik Speuy (1575–1625), a Dutch organist and composer *

Jacob Cats Jacob Cats (10 November 1577 – 12 September 1660) was a Dutch poet, humorist, jurist and politician. He is most famous for his emblem books. Early years Jacob Cats was born on 10 November 1577 in Brouwershaven. Having lost his mother at ...

(1577–1660), a Dutch poet, humorist, jurist and Grand Pensionary of Holland * Jeremias de Dekker (1610–1666), a Dutch poet * Mathias Balen (1611–1691), a Dutch historian, wrote ''Beschryving der Stad Dordrecht'' ("Description of City of Dordrecht") *

Aelbert Cuyp Aelbert Jacobszoon Cuyp or Cuijp (; 20 October 1620 – 15 November 1691) was one of the leading Dutch Golden Age painters, producing mainly landscapes. The most famous of a family of painters, the pupil of his father, Jacob Gerritszoon Cuyp (1 ...

(1620–1691), a

Dutch Golden Age The Dutch Golden Age ( ) was a period in the history of the Netherlands which roughly lasted from 1588, when the Dutch Republic was established, to 1672, when the '' Rampjaar'' occurred. During this period, Dutch trade, scientific development ...

painter of landscapes *

Margaretha van Godewijk Margaretha van Godewijk (30 August 1627, Dordrecht – 2 November 1677, Dordrecht), was a Dutch Golden Age poet and painter. Biography According to Houbraken her father was a teacher at the Latin school in Dordrecht who taught her Greek, Latin, I ...

(1627–1677), a

poet and painter *

Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten (2 August 1627, in Dordrecht – 19 October 1678, in Dordrecht) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, who was also a poet and author on art theory. Biography Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten trained first with his father Dir ...

(1627–1678), a

painter, also a poet and author on art theory *

Nicolaes Maes Nicolaes Maes (January 1634December 1693 (buried 24 December 1693)) was a Dutch Republic, Dutch painter known for his Genre painting, genre scenes, Portrait painting, portraits, religious compositions and the occasional still life. A pupil of Re ...

(1634–1693), a Dutch painter of genre scenes and portraits *

Godfried Schalcken Godfried Schalcken (8 October 1643 – 16 November 1706) was a Dutch artist who specialized in genre paintings and portraits. Schalcken was noted for his night scenes and mastery in reproducing the effect of candlelight. He painted in the highly ...

(1643–1706), a Dutch genre and portrait painter *

Arnold Houbraken Arnold Houbraken (28 March 1660 – 14 October 1719) was a Dutch people, Dutch Painting, painter and writer from Dordrecht, now remembered mainly as a biographer of Dutch Golden Age painters. Life Houbraken was sent first to learn ''threadt ...

(1660–1719), a

painter and writer *

François Valentijn François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * François Amoudruz (1926–2020), French resistance fighter * François-Marie Arouet (better known as Voltaire; ...

(1666–1727), a Dutch minister, naturalist and author; wrote ''Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën'' about the

Dutch East India Company The United East India Company ( ; VOC ), commonly known as the Dutch East India Company, was a chartered company, chartered trading company and one of the first joint-stock companies in the world. Established on 20 March 1602 by the States Ge ...

Jacobus Houbraken Jacobus Houbraken (25 December 1698 – 14 November 1780) was a Dutch engraver and the son of the artist and biographer Arnold Houbraken (1660–1719), whom he assisted in producing a published record of the lives of artists from the Dutch Gol ...

(1698–1780), a Dutch engraver *

Aart Schouman Aert Schouman or Aart Schouman (4 March 1710 – 5 July 1792) was an 18th-century painter, now better known as a glass engraver, from the Dutch Republic. Schouman was born in Dordrecht. When 15 years old he served as apprentice to the Dordrec ...

(1710–1792), Dutch painter and engraver * (1776–1841), a Dutch writer and poet *

(1795–1858), a Dutch-French Romantic painter * Cornélie van Zanten (1855–1946), a Dutch opera singer, author and teacher * Augusta Peaux (1859–1944), a Dutch poet who loved

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

Jan Veth Jan Pieter Veth (18 May 1864, Dordrecht – 1 July 1925, Amsterdam) was a Dutch painter, poet, art critic and university lecturer. He is especially noted as a portrait painter. Amongst his sitters were Max Liebermann, Lambertus Zijl, Frank van ...

(1864–1925), a Dutch painter, poet, art critic and university lecturer * Top Naeff (1878–1953), a Dutch writer *

Allard de Ridder Allard de Ridder (3 May 1887 – 13 May 1966) was a Dutch–Canadian conductor, violist, and composer. He was notably the first conductor of both the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, the latter of which he f ...

(1887–1966), a Dutch–Canadian conductor, violist and composer *

Peter Hurkos Pieter van der Hurk (21 May 1911 – 1 June 1988) known as Peter Hurkos, was a Dutchman who claimed he manifested extrasensory perception (ESP) after recovering from a head injury and coma caused by a fall from a ladder when aged 30. He went to ...

(1911–1988), Dutch entertainer, performed psychic feats * Kees Buddingh' (1918–1985), a Dutch poet, TV-presenter and translator * (1926–2008), a Dutch journalist and writer * Henk Bouman (born 1951), a Dutch harpsichordist, fortepianist, conductor and composer * Edo Brunner (born 1970), a Dutch actor and presenter *

Celinde Schoenmaker Celinde Schoenmaker (born 15 January 1989) is a Dutch actress and singer. She is known for appearing as Renate Blauel in '' Rocketman'', Fantine in the West End production of the musical ''Les Misérables'', and Christine Daaé in the West En ...

(born 1989), a Dutch theatre actress and singer *

O'G3NE Ogene ( ; stylised as O'G3NE and OG3NE until 2024), formerly known as Lisa, Amy & Shelley, is a Dutch three-piece music group. The group is made up of sisters Lisa, Amy and Shelley Vol. The group represented the Netherlands in the Junior Eurovi ...

(formed 2007), a Dutch girl group and ''

The Voice of Holland ''The Voice of Holland'', also known by its acronym ''TVOH'', is a Dutch singing reality competition television series that became a global TV format franchise, created by media tycoon John de Mol Jr. and musician Roel van Velzen in the Net ...

'' winners in 2014

Public thinking & public service

Standbeeld Gebroeders de Wit - Dordrecht

Beatrix de Rijke Beatrix de Rijke (1421 – 1468) was a Dutch foundling in Dordrecht in 1421. Biography According to Mathias Balen in his 1677 ''Description of the city of Dordrecht'', she was a survivor of the St. Elizabeth's flood (1421). Her wicker cradle ...

(1421–1468), a Dutch foundling from St. Elizabeth's flood (1421) *

(1577–1649), a Dutch classical scholar and theologian * Simon de Danser (ca.1579–ca.1615), a Dutch privateer and pirate *

Jacob de Witt Jacob de Witt, '' heer van Manezee, Melissant and Comstryen'' (7 February 1589 – 10 January 1674) was a burgomaster of Dordrecht and the son of a timber merchant. De Witt was an influential member of the Dutch States Party, and was in opposit ...

(1589–1674), a

burgomaster Burgomaster (alternatively spelled burgermeister, ) is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief magistrate or executive of a city or town. The name in English was derived from the Dutch . In so ...

of Dordrecht and the son of a timber merchant *

Jacques Specx Jacques Specx (; 1585 – 22 July 1652) was a Dutch merchant, who founded the trade on Japan and Korea in 1609. Jacques Specx received the support of William Adams to obtain extensive trading rights from Tokugawa Ieyasu, the ''shōgun'' emeritu ...

(1588–1652), Governor General Dutch East Indies (VOC) *brothers

(1623–1672) &

Johan de Witt Johan de Witt (24 September 1625 – 20 August 1672) was a Dutch statesman and mathematician who was a major political figure during the First Stadtholderless Period, when flourishing global trade in a period of rapid European colonial exp ...

(1625–1672) lynched politicians * Laurens de Graaf (ca. 1653–1704) a Dutch pirate, mercenary and naval officer. * Conrad Theodor van Deventer (1857–1915), a lawyer and author about the

Henriette Willemina Crommelin Henriette Willemina Crommelin (7 December 1870 – 19 August 1957) was a Dutch labor leader and temperance reformer. She was also a suffragist and a member of a suffrage society. Biography Henriette Willemina Crommelin born in Dordrecht, on 7 De ...

(1870–1957), a labor leader and temperance reformer *

Pieter Geyl Pieter Catharinus Arie Geyl (15 December 1887, Dordrecht – 31 December 1966, Utrecht) was a Dutch historian, well known for his studies in early modern Dutch history and in historiography. Background Geyl was born in Dordrecht and graduated ...

(1887–1966) an historian, studied early modern Dutch history and

historiography Historiography is the study of the methods used by historians in developing history as an academic discipline. By extension, the term ":wikt:historiography, historiography" is any body of historical work on a particular subject. The historiog ...

Cornelis Eliza Bertus Bremekamp Cornelis Eliza Bertus Bremekamp (7 February 1888 in Dordrecht – 21 December 1984) was a Dutch botanist. He received his education at the University of Utrecht, and performed as a botanical researcher in Indonesia and South Africa. In South Afri ...

(1888–1984), a botanist, worked in Indonesia and South Africa * Marinus Vertregt (1897–1973) a Dutch astronomer *

Jaap Burger Jacobus Albertus Wilhelmus "Jaap" Burger (20 August 1904 – 19 August 1986) was a Dutch politician of the Social Democratic Workers' Party (Netherlands), Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP) and later co-founder of the Labour Party (Netherl ...

(1904–1986) a Dutch politician and jurist; lawyer in Dordrecht 1929 to 1942 *

Henk Korthals Hendrik Albertus "Henk" Korthals (3 July 1911 – 3 November 1976) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Liberal State Party (LSP) later the Freedom Party (PvdV) and later co-founder of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and jou ...

(1911–1976) a Dutch politician and journalist *

Theo Bot Theodorus Hendrikus "Theo" Bot (20 July 1911 – 24 September 1984) was a Dutch politician and diplomat of the defunct Catholic People's Party (KVP) now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and jurist. Bot attended a Gymnasium ...

(1911–1984) a Dutch politician, diplomat and jurist *

Aart Alblas Aart Hendrik Alblas, aka Klaas de Waard (20 September 1918, in Middelharnis – 7 September 1944, in Mauthausen concentration camp), was a Dutch navy officer, resistance member and Engelandvaarder. He participated in several resistance operation ...

(1918–1944) a Dutch navy officer,

Dutch resistance The Dutch resistance () to the History of the Netherlands (1939–1945), German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II can be mainly characterized as non-violent. The primary organizers were the Communist Party of the Netherlands, C ...

member and

Engelandvaarder An ''Engelandvaarder'' (; ) was a Dutch person who escaped from the German occupation of the Netherlands, German-occupied Netherlands to the United Kingdom during World War II with the intention of joining the Free Dutch forces. The name deri ...

Nicolaas Bloembergen Nicolaas Bloembergen (March 11, 1920 – September 5, 2017) was a Dutch- American physicist and Nobel laureate, recognized for his work in developing driving principles behind nonlinear optics for laser spectroscopy. During his career, he was a ...

(1920–2017) a Dutch-American physicist and winner of the 1981

Nobel Prize in Physics The Nobel Prize in Physics () is an annual award given by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for those who have made the most outstanding contributions to mankind in the field of physics. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the ...

for his work on

nonlinear optics Nonlinear optics (NLO) is the branch of optics that describes the behaviour of light in Nonlinearity, nonlinear media, that is, media in which the polarization density P responds non-linearly to the electric field E of the light. The non-linearity ...

for

laser spectroscopy Spectroscopy is the field of study that measures and interprets electromagnetic spectra. In narrower contexts, spectroscopy is the precise study of color as generalized from visible light to all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. Spectrosc ...

* Jan Pouwer (1924–2010) a Dutch anthropologist and academic * Philip Scheltens (born 1957) a professor of neurology and expert on

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...

* Eline Slagboom (born 1960) a biologist specializing in human familial longevity and ageing

Sport

Dirk Boest Gips Dirk Boest Gips (30 July 1864 – 11 November 1920) was a Dutch sport shooter who competed in the early 20th century in pistol shooting. He participated in Shooting at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris and won a bronze medal with the Dutch ...

(1864–1920) a Dutch sports shooter, team bronze medallist at the

1900 Summer Olympics The 1900 Summer Olympics (), today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad () and also known as Paris 1900, were an international multi-sport event that took place in Paris, France, from 14 May to 28 October 1900. No opening or closin ...

* Hendrik de Iongh (1877–1962) a fencer, team bronze medallist at the

1912 Summer Olympics The 1912 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad () and commonly known as Stockholm 1912, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 6 July and 22 July 1912. The opening ceremony was he ...

*brothers

Geert Lotsij Gerhard Oswald "Geert" Lotsij (13 January 1878 in Dordrecht – 29 June 1959 in Hilversum) was a Dutch rower who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics The 1900 Summer Olympics (), today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad ( ...

(1878–1959) &

Paul Lotsij Paulus Jan Lotsij (4 February 1880 in Dordrecht – 19 September 1910 in Amsterdam) was a Dutch rower who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics. He was part of the Dutch boat ''Minerva Amsterdam'', which won the silver medal in the coxed four ...

(1880–1910) rowers, team silver medallists at the

* Piet Bouman (1892–1980) a Dutch amateur footballer, team bronze medallist at the

* (1893–1959), sport leader, Dutch Olympic Head of Mission 1936/1952 * Simon Wulfse (born 1952), a strongman and drug smuggler *

Peter Smit '' Peter "The Hurricane" Smit (December 24, 1961 – August 15, 2005) was a Dutch martial artist, Retrieved 2013-06-03 who competed in kyokushin karate, kickboxing and Muay Thai., Retrieved 2013-06-04. Biography Smit started training in ...

(1961–2005), a Dutch martial artist *

Juul Ellerman Juul Ellerman (born 7 October 1965) is a Dutch former professional footballer, who played as a winger or as a forward. Club career Ellerman started his professional career at Sparta and moved to PSV in 1988. He scored twice in a famous 1989 ...

(born 1965), a Dutch former footballer with 389 club caps *

Marco Boogers Marco Boogers (born 12 January 1967) is a Dutch former professional association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. Boogers spent almost all of his career in the Netherlands, apart from an ill-fated spe ...

(born 1967), a Dutch former professional footballer with 399 club caps *

Reinier Robbemond Reinier Robbemond (born 31 January 1972) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player who was, most recently, the head coach of Eerste Divisie club Willem II. A midfielder, Robbemond's professional playing career spanned 19 years ...

(born 1972), a Dutch football manager and former player with 412 club caps *

Danny Makkelie Danny Desmond Makkelie (born 28 January 1983) is a Dutch professional football referee. Besides refereeing he works as a police inspector in Rotterdam and as a referee coach for the Royal Dutch Football Association. He has been a FIFA listed r ...

(born 1983), is a Dutch

FIFA The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (), more commonly known by its acronym FIFA ( ), is the international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 1904 to o ...

football referee *

Mareno Michels Mareno Michels (born 23 October 1984) is a Dutch darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. Career BDO Michels made three quarter final appearances in the BDO Open events in 2005, doing so in the Welsh Open, Engl ...

(born 1984), a Dutch darts player *

Lucinda Brand Lucinda Brand (born 2 July 1989) is a Dutch Cycle sport, racing cyclist, who rides for UCI Women's Team, UCI Women's WorldTeam in road racing, and UCI Cyclo-cross Pro Team in cyclo-cross. After four years with , in August 2016 announced that B ...

(born 1989), cyclist * Björn Vlasbom (born 1990), former professional footballer *

Maria Verschoor Maria Verschoor (born 22 April 1994) is a Dutch field hockey player. She began playing for HC Hoekschewaard before joining HC Rotterdam. She moved up from junior to senior teams and in 2012 she moved to the Amsterdam Hockey & Bandy Club. Versc ...

(born 1994), a Dutch field hockey player, team silver medallist at the

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Rio 2016, were an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events i ...

Jarno Opmeer Jarno Opmeer (; born 11 April 2000) is a Dutch esports driver and former racing driver, who competes in the Formula One Esports Series for Red Bull Racing. Opmeer has won a record three Formula One Sim Racing World Championship titles, which ...

(born 2000), a Dutch racing driver and Esports competitor * Dilano van 't Hoff (2004–2023), a Dutch racing driver, 2021 Spanish Formula 4 Champion

Image gallery

File:hofstraat.jpg, Hofstraat File:Dordrecht_Grote_Kerk_toren.jpg, Grote Kerk File:Dordrecht Groothoofdspoort2.jpg, Groothoofdspoort File:Building-hof10.jpg, Het Hof (The Court) File:Cityhalldordrecht.jpg, City Hall File:Pottenkade.jpg, Pottenkade next to the Grote Kerk File:Cyckoverdendyck.jpg,

Windmill A windmill is a machine operated by the force of wind acting on vanes or sails to mill grain (gristmills), pump water, generate electricity, or drive other machinery. Windmills were used throughout the high medieval and early modern period ...

'Kyck over den Dyck' File:Dordrecht - Dordrechts Museum.jpg,

File:Dordrecht, haven foto2 2010-06-13 12.46.JPG, port File:Dordrecht, monumentaal straatzicht4 foto2 2010-06-27 18.03.JPG, View to monumental buildings File:Dordrecht, Schettersplein foto1 2010-06-27 18.09.JPG, square: Scheffersplein File:Schapen in de Hoefijzerstraat in Dordrecht.jpg, Sheep in the Hoefijzerstraat File:Dordrecht, zicht op de Wijnhaven vanaf de Nieuwbrug RM14043 met links de toren van de Bonifatiuskerk RM13998 IMG 0140 2018-02-25 10.41.jpg, View to the Wijnhaven File:Dordrecht, recreatievaartuig de Friedrich Voss vanaf de Schuttevaerkade IMG 0192 2018-02-25 12.37.jpg, Boat: the Friedrich Voss

References

Citations

Sources

* *

External links

*
Official website
{{Authority control Cities in the Netherlands Municipalities of South Holland Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta Drechtsteden Islands of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta Islands of South Holland