Question 1

Dordrecht on Your Own

Accepted Answer

Dordrecht's historic center is small enough to see on foot, following the old harbors from the Groothoofdspoort to the Grote Kerk. If you want one ride, the train or the waterbus to Rotterdam is quick. Groothoofdspoort: The gate stands on the Groothoofd quay, where the Oude Maas, the Merwede and the Noord meet. Travelers have been coming ashore here since the Middle Ages. Grote Kerk: The Church of Our Lady was built between 1285 and about 1470. Its 65-meter tower was never finished and leans because the ground beneath it is soft. Its carillon of 67 bells includes the heaviest bell in the Netherlands, at 9,830 kg. Opening hours change with the season, so check before you go. Huis Van Gijn: The house of the banker and collector Simon van Gijn, at Nieuwe Haven 29, is kept furnished as a wealthy family's home of more than a century ago. Dordrechts Museum: The city's art museum, at Museumstraat 40, was founded in 1842 and holds paintings by Dordrecht's own Aelbert Cuyp among its Dutch Golden Age works. Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own.

Question 2

Getting Around

Accepted Answer

Dordrecht is easy to leave and easy to return to: trains reach Rotterdam in about 15 minutes, and the waterbus fast ferry belongs to the same public transport network. Buses cover the town and nearby areas, and you can cycle into the Biesbosch or as far as Kinderdijk. Direct trains run from Dordrecht to Rotterdam Centraal and Rotterdam Blaak, and on to The Hague and Amsterdam. The waterbus to Rotterdam costs the same as the train. A water bus runs from the Merwekade into the Biesbosch National Park, one of the last freshwater tidal wetlands in northwestern Europe. Check the timetable before you go. Kinderdijk and its windmills are within cycling distance.

Question 3

Tipping in the Netherlands

Accepted Answer

Dutch law requires service charges and taxes to be included in prices, so tipping is not necessary, though it is appreciated. Prices are in euros. On a small bill, rounding up to the next euro is acceptable. On a restaurant bill, 5 to 10 percent is considered a generous tip.

Question 4

Culture and Local Life

Accepted Answer

Dordrecht packs seven historic churches and six museums into a small center. Its own painter, Aelbert Cuyp, is known for river scenes in golden light. Aelbert Cuyp was born in Dordrecht in 1620 and died there in 1691. He is known for large views of Dutch riverside scenes in golden early-morning or late-afternoon light. The Nieuwkerk, or Church of St. Nicholas, was built in 1175 and, despite its name, is the oldest building in the city. The choir stalls of the Grote Kerk were carved between 1538 and 1541 with detailed biblical and everyday scenes. Kyck over den Dyck, the last windmill in the city, was built in 1612 and ground malt for Dordrecht's beer brewers. The Binnenvaartmuseum is devoted to the history of inland shipping on the Dutch rivers.

Question 5

History

Accepted Answer

Dordrecht grew up beside a river in the peat marshes and by the 13th century had become an important market city. It was the stage for two turning points in Dutch history, in 1572 and 1618, before Rotterdam overtook it as the region's port. City rights: William I, Count of Holland, granted Dordrecht its city rights in 1220, making it the oldest city in today's province of South Holland. Trade: The city traded mainly in wine, timber and grain, and in 1299 it was granted the staple right, a trading privilege tied to the count's river tolls. Flood and fire: The St. Elizabeth's flood of November 18 and 19, 1421, turned Dordrecht into an island. A fire on June 29, 1457, destroyed much of the city, including the Grote Kerk. The Union of Dordrecht: In 1572, four years into the Dutch Revolt against Spain, representatives of the towns of Holland, all except Amsterdam, met secretly in the city's Augustinian monastery, known as Het Hof. They recognized William of Orange as leader of the revolt, a first step toward an independent Dutch Republic. The Synod of Dort: From November 13, 1618, to May 9, 1619, the Dutch Reformed Church met in Dordrecht to settle a dispute between strict Calvinists and the followers of Jacobus Arminius. Its decisions, the Canons of Dort, are still a doctrinal basis of the Reformed churches in the Netherlands. Golden Age names: Johan de Witt, later Grand Pensionary of Holland, was the son of a Dordrecht regent and became the city's pensionary in 1650. Rotterdam takes over: Dordrecht's sea trade declined from the 18th century, and the opening of the Nieuwe Waterweg in 1883 made Rotterdam the main port. The Second World War: German paratroopers landed at Dordrecht on May 10, 1940, and took the bridges after heavy fighting. The city was finally liberated by the Canadian Army. To learn more ashore: Visit Het Hof van Nederland at Hof 6, the former Augustinian monastery where the 1572 meeting was held, which has been a museum since 2015.

Question 6

Dordrecht with Children

Accepted Answer

Dordrecht suits a family day on foot, with a toy attic, a tower to climb and a national park a short boat ride away. Plan around the ages in your group. Younger children: Huis Van Gijn has a toy attic on its top floor, which holds Simon van Gijn's own childhood toys within one of the largest toy collections in the Netherlands. School age: Take the water bus from the Merwekade into the Biesbosch National Park, a maze of creeks, willow woods and reed beds known for its migrating geese. Check the timetable before you go. Teenagers: Climb the tower of the Grote Kerk. The steps are steep and there is only one way up and down, so it is not for anyone uneasy in close spaces.

Question 7

Shopping

Accepted Answer

Shopping in Dordrecht centers on the Voorstraat, the Sarisgang and the Statenplein. Markets add to the choice at the end of the week. The Voorstraat runs for 1,200 meters through the old center, which makes it the longest shopping street in the Netherlands. Markets are held every Friday and Saturday on the Statenplein and in the Sarisgang.

Dordrecht

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