Nieuwe Kerk

Nieuwe Kerk tickets: which one to buy

The Nieuwe Kerk stands on the Markt, Delft's main square, facing the town hall, and it is ticketed; the ticket covers both the Nieuwe Kerk and the Oude Kerk, the old church a few minutes away, and climbing the tower of the Nieuwe Kerk costs a little more. The tower is worth it: at nearly 109 metres it is one of the tallest church towers in the Netherlands, and from the top you can see The Hague and, on a clear day, Rotterdam.

Delft is an easy day trip from Amsterdam, The Hague or Rotterdam by train, and walking tours of the town combine the churches with the canals, the Vermeer Centre and the Royal Delft pottery factory. Boat tours on the canals give another view of the town. The churches close on Sundays for services, so plan a weekday or Saturday visit. Children under a certain age climb the tower free with an adult, but the stairs are steep and narrow.

Visiting Nieuwe Kerk: what to see

The church was built between 1396 and 1496 in the Gothic style, dedicated to Saint Ursula, and after the Reformation it became Protestant. Its importance comes from the House of Orange: William of Orange, the leader of the Dutch revolt against Spain, was assassinated in Delft in 1584 and buried here, and his great marble and bronze mausoleum, designed by Hendrick de Keyser and finished in 1623, stands in the choir, with figures of Liberty, Justice, Religion and Valour around the recumbent prince.

Beneath the church is the royal crypt, where almost all members of the Dutch royal family since then have been buried; it is not open to the public. The tower was rebuilt after being struck by lightning. The church also holds a monument to the jurist Hugo Grotius, who was born in Delft, and colourful stained glass windows from the twentieth century. In front of the church on the Markt stands a bronze statue of Hugo Grotius, who escaped from prison hidden in a book chest. The tower carillon plays every quarter hour and is heard across the town.

Nieuwe Kerk opening hours and the best time to go

The churches are open from Monday to Saturday and closed to sightseeing on Sundays. The tower closes in bad weather and may close earlier in winter. Thursday is market day on the Markt, when the square fills with stalls, and Saturday has a flower and art market along the canals. Delft is busiest in summer and at weekends, and early mornings are the calmest time. King's Day at the end of April turns the town into a street party.

In winter, the square hosts an ice rink and Christmas market. The Royal Delft factory is about fifteen minutes' walk away. Allow about an hour for the Nieuwe Kerk and the tower, and another half hour for the Oude Kerk, where Vermeer is buried. The Vermeer Centre, a short walk from the square, explains the painter's life and techniques with reproductions of all his works.