Delft — Vermeer's Secret Atelier

Your journey into the heritage of Zuid-Holland begins at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, a national Rijksmonument. Here lies William of Orange, assassinated in 1584, the father of the Dutch nation, whose tomb is a major point of interest. It is also in this Gothic church, whose tower was rebuilt in 1696 after the gunpowder explosion in 1654, that Johannes Vermeer was buried on December 15, 1675, after his bankruptcy. This place concentrates the destinies of the city's great figures and offers you a first perspective on the challenges of the Dutch Golden Age.

Nearby, the Stadhuis van Delft, built by Hendrick de Keyser between 1618 and 1620 in the Dutch Mannerist style, invites you to continue your interactive visit. Its facade is adorned with 32 statues of Counts of Holland from the 14th to 16th centuries, telling the political history of the region. The 55-meter-high belfry houses a carillon of 40 bells since 1661, whose melodies will accompany you in your exploration. The council room, painted by Johan de Baen, immortalizes the assassination of William of Orange in 1584, an event that profoundly marked the history of Delft and the Netherlands.

The Voldersgracht, a historic canal in the center of Delft, then plunges you into the atmosphere of the 17th century. Its intact gabled houses bear witness to the former clothiers' area of the 16th century. It is here that the natural light, so particular to Delft, was ideal for painters like Vermeer (1632-1675). This district, protected since 1967 and pedestrian since 1980, offers you a stroll in a preserved environment, where each low bridge is an invitation to observe the reflections that inspired so many artists. The richness of this thematic circuit in Zuid-Holland is revealed at every step.

Your circuit then leads you to the Oude Kerk, the oldest church in Delft, begun around 1240. Its leaning 94-meter tower is an architectural landmark of Zuid-Holland's heritage. It is here that Vermeer was baptized on October 31, 1632, and where Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723), the father of microbiology, rests, whose revolutionary discoveries are part of the intellectual effervescence of the Golden Age. Antonin Artaud stayed here in 1938, inspired by the atmosphere of the place for his theater of cruelty. Every tomb, every stone, tells a part of Delft's history.

As you conclude your exploration along the Oude Delft, the city's oldest canal dug in the 13th century, you understand why this city is Vermeer's birthplace. The brick quays and Golden Age houses, including number 40 where Vermeer lived (now a museum), reflect the golden age of Dutch painting. Renowned for its reflections painted by Dutch masters, this canal, whose stagnant water was set in motion by the piercing of the Veste canal in 1656, is the beating heart of Delft. This interactive visit leaves you with a deeper understanding of Delft's history and its influence on global art, far beyond classic guidebooks.