Delft, Netherlands + Add a trip

The Oude Kerk ('old church'), as its name suggests, is the oldest church of Delft. It has an impressive leaning tower in Flemish Gothic style. The north transept-arm reminds of plans to rebuild the church in Brabantine Gothic style.

The Nieuwe Kerk ('new church') was Delft's second parish church, and until the Reformation was called St. Ursula. Early in the 80-Years War it was confiscated by the protestants. The choir is now the mausoleum of the family of Oranje-Nassau, the current royal family, with graves of all Oranges starting with prince Willem I.

The late-Gothic chapel of the former St. Barbaraconvent was built in 1417 and was lengthened later that century.

St.-Hippolytuskapel is the name given in 1972 to the chapel of the house of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit, when it returned in Catholic hands after centuries of other uses. It was built ca. 1400. The building underwent several rather imaginative restorations in 1910 and 1924, but the brickwork tower is still original.

The Maria van Jessekerk is a neo-Gothic Roman Catholic church built from 1874 until 1882. It received its current name in 1972, and was named St. Jozef until then. Architect was E.J. Margry, a pupil of P.J.H. Cuypers. Note that the two towers are different, probably an influence from Margry's former tutor.