The Origins of the Old and New Church
The Oude Kerk and Nieuwe Kerk are an integral part of the history of Delft and the Netherlands as a whole. Both buildings are living monuments that preserve the past, shape the present and draw attention to identity and religion in the future. They are meeting places par excellence, where residents, visitors and communities come together.
The Nieuwe Kerk is internationally renowned as the final resting place of William of Orange and other members of the Dutch Royal House. The Oude Kerk is equally rich in cultural and intellectual heritage, housing the graves of prominent figures such as Johannes Vermeer, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek and Piet Hein. At the same time, the Oude Kerk and Nieuwe Kerk Delft are vibrant cultural venues, hosting exhibitions, concerts and lectures.
Renovations New Church
Renovation work is currently underway at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft. The church is being prepared for the future through three renovation phases. During your visit, you may experience some inconvenience due to the construction work. We apologize for this.
Notable Characters in the Church
William of Orange
William of Orange; the 'Father of the Fatherland'. That his name was associated with Delft and the Nieuwe Kerk is purely coincidental. After his sudden death in the Prinsenhof in Delft, the family tomb in Breda was inaccessible.
King William I
It was around the year 1800 in the Low Countries. The era of stadholders was over, and Napoleon Bonaparte was advancing from the south. Then William I Frederick became the first king of the Netherlands and secured the dynasty of the Oranges.
Willem George Frederik
William George Frederick of Orange-Nassau was the youngest son of the last stadholder William V and the brother of the first King of the Netherlands; William I Frederick. He was an inspiring army commander who, despite a nasty shoulder wound, fought courageously against the French.
Koningin Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina was queen for almost fifty-eight years; the longest reign since the creation of the Dutch constitutional monarchy in 1815. During that time, she led the country through two world wars as well as reconstruction.
Prince Claus
Klaus-Georg Wilhelm Otto Friedrich Gerd von Amsberg - or Prince Claus for short - married Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1966, Queen of the Netherlands from 1980 - 2013. Not everyone was happy with this prince of German origin. Later, however, his popularity only increased.